Jeff Wagner — pictured here at Lambeau Field — marks 30 years with the bank this month.

In three decades with North Shore Bank, Credit Analyst Jeff Wagner has learned to value adaptability. Every day and every customer bring with them their own specific challenges — but that’s also what keeps the job interesting, he says. “Every customer is a little bit different. It’s kind of like a puzzle, and everyone’s puzzle is a little bit different,” Jeff says. “You have to embrace it versus complain about it.”

What part of your 30 years at North Shore Bank are you most proud of?
Mostly my ability to adapt to the changes in the industry — government changes to lending and changes in technology. There were a lot of changes in how mortgages were underwritten, after what happened in 2007 and 2008 with the economy and all the foreclosures. They wanted a lot more details. Before it was a little bit more at our discretion. But that’s the hand we were dealt. You have to stay flexible and open to what’s coming next, and not complain about it or balk at it.

What would you do differently if you could change anything?
I would look for more opportunities to take more computer training. I wish that early on, I’d had more understanding of Excel. That wasn’t part of the regular school curriculum in the ’70s! And it’s hard to learn on the job. It would have been nice to to get more of that earlier, versus trying to struggle through it as I needed it. A class outside of work probably would have been very helpful to me, but I didn’t know that at that time. We didn’t realize how big it was going to get.

How have you balanced your career with your life outside of work?
I’ve participated in sports, coaching basketball and now serving as a basketball official. I also enjoy music, both locally and when national bands are touring.

Have your experiences with basketball influenced how you work, or vice versa?
Very much so, as both a coach and an official. It goes back to my childhood, probably — how I was brought up. It’s about discipline. When you become a coach, you have to have discipline. You have to plan and have a strategy. And I use that same philosophy when I set up my workday or plan out a project. You have to have a road map or an outline. It’s very similar to coaching in that respect.

And then, there’s how you deal with difficult situations, different personalities. The customer is kind of like the parent of a player. The customer can create challenges or bring up things that you have to have a little more skill to overcome or adapt to. You have to remember that they’re not a transaction — they’re a relationship. And you have to build trust to get what you need from them.

What kind of music do you like?
For starters, I like music from the ’70s and ’80s. I went to see Paul McCartney when he was here in 2014. There are certain shows like that — they’re kind of on my bucket list; I can’t pass them up. I also like to see local bands and go to festivals. My wife is more interested in country than I am, but I guess I’ll listen to it. We took a trip down to Nashville — it’s a neat place to go to, even if you’re just a little bit interested in country music. It’s a really nice city — clean, and very tourist-friendly. They kind of embrace people. Their downtown is very walkable, and up-and-coming musicians are playing there all day long. The ones who play during the day are just playing for tips, trying to get noticed.

Who taught you something really important, and what was it?
My parents taught me respect for money — the importance of saving it and working hard even when things don’t seem to come easy.

What are you glad you didn’t know?
I’m glad I didn’t know how the government would take over many of the lending requirements that affect our decision making! I’m not sure I would have looked forward to that.