This week, Facilities & Services VP Steve Dowe shares how his team keeps the bank running — and has done efficiently and economically. Our featured branch last week was Wauwatosa.

The Facilities & Services team, clockwise from left: Steve Dowe, Bob Effinger, Mike Schaffhauser, and Colleen Moore.

Personnel
Steve Dowe, Vice President, Facilities & Services
Bob Effinger, Building Engineer
Colleen Moore, Mailroom Assistant
Mike Schaffhauser, Purchasing Assistant

What is your department’s main purpose, and what are the services it provides?
To provide service and to control expenses in the areas of facilities and equipment maintenance, building renovations, vendor management, printed forms, office products, and records; furniture, fixtures, and equipment; and mail processing.

What tasks are performed by the various job titles in your department?
Mike Schaffhauser manages the daily operations for Services, which mainly consist of processing building and equipment maintenance work orders, printed forms, office products, and records. Colleen Moore is responsible for managing our mail operations and contributes to special projects. And Bob Effinger oversees the operations of the Corporate building and provides handyman service to the Metro and South regions whenever possible.

What are some things you’d like other departments or branches to know about what your department does?
We strive to provide our services quickly and reliably, providing effective results at a cost that provides value to the company as a whole.

What events or projects or times of the year keep your department especially busy?
We are busy all year long, but especially in the summer months, when all exterior building and property maintenance must be completed. We don’t have the luxury of spreading these services out over a 12-month period. We are also busy during the budget season.

What are some important moments or people in the department’s history?
Over 29 years we’ve had many outstanding people work in the department — too many to mention. And the transition from manual processes to electronic processes has allowed us to provide service with the same number of full-time employees even though the company has grown from 17 branches to 46.

Any personal celebrations or milestones among the people at your department recently?
Colleen’s twin daughters will be entering college this fall; and Bob and his wife, Karen, are expecting their eighth and ninth grandchildren in January.

Any exciting or noteworthy developments on the horizon for your department?
I’m looking forward to celebrating 30 years of service at North Shore Bank in November 2016.