Reminder: Save our picnic date!

Here’s your reminder to save the date on Sunday, August 5! It’ll be a day of Wisconsin State Fair fun with your family and your coworkers. In celebration of North Shore Bank’s 95th anniversary, we will be hosting a picnic at the fair — complete with cream puffs and roasted corn! More details are forthcoming.

Johnson makes mortgage referral, impresses friend
Last month, we reminded non-sales employees that by referring friends and acquaintances to North Shore Bank, you can both help them with their financial needs and get rewarded through our “Together, Achieving More” program.

We’re happy to report that customer care specialist Kathy Johnson is our first reward recipient, after referring a friend for a mortgage through North Shore Bank.

“My friend Holly called me because she wanted to put in an offer on a new home and needed a preapproval letter fast! She had no idea what to do,” Kathy says. “She actually called me on my cell. Because I thought it was a personal call, I didn’t answer it. Luckily she had my work number!”

Kathy knew senior mortgage lender Stephanie Glowinski-Moeller would be able to help.

“I’m always impressed by how patient, compassionate, and professional she is with our customers,” Kathy says. “She also helped my husband with his financing for his loan. He was a first-time home buyer, and Stephanie held his hand throughout the process. I knew Stephanie would do a great job.”

And indeed, Holly called Stephanie right away and was able to get her preapproval letter that day. “She was very impressed,” says Kathy, who adds: “I was so happy that Stephanie was able to help Holly. The reward was like icing on the cake!”

Don’t miss out on your opportunity! If you know someone who could benefit from partnering with North Shore Bank, let your colleagues know. Details on the referral program are here. •••

Gottemoller helps students learn how credit works

Southwest personal banker James Gottemoller gave a presentation titled “What Is Credit?” to eighth graders at North Middle School in Menomonee Falls on May 15.

In the presentation, James discussed types of credit, credit scores, and the importance of building good credit. He also talked about what the students could do now to prepare for using credit responsibly as adults, and warned them about financial fraud.

“I gave an example of a customer needing to borrow $10 to help the students get exposed to what a credit score is,” he said. He explained that if the customer had poor credit, the bank wouldn’t be able to lend them the money. If the customer’s credit score was fair to good, the bank could agree to the loan, but require collateral, like holding on to their cell phone until the customer could repay them. A customer with a high credit score would get the loan without collateral.

“Two different students gave the example that they could hold their brother’s Xbox as collateral,” James said.

James spoke to about 115 students across four classes and spent the whole day at school. He said they asked good questions, like “What is an overdraft?” and “Why does the credit bureau charge for a credit score?” and also wanted to know if he’d ever been in a bank robbery. “I said yes, but asked the class not to share with my son and daughter at school, because we never shared it with them,” he said. •••

Loan Admin set for Red Nose Day

The Consumer and Commercial Loan Administration department took a moment to prep ahead of time for Red Nose Day, which takes place today, May 24. Started by anti-poverty nonprofit Comic Relief, the Red Nose Day campaign is dedicated to helping kids in need. To contribute, you can purchase a red nose at Walgreens.

In front are commercial loan specialist Yvette Burdette, senior consumer loan specialist Glenda Waters, commercial loan specialist and systems analyst Mary Fleischman, and consumer loan specialist Georgia Phillips. Standing in back are consumer loan specialist Jewell Graham, senior commercial loan specialist Priscilla Hartling, VP/commercial and consumer loan processing and closing manager Barb Wisneski, and consumer loan specialist JoEllen Brisk. •••

New Hires for May 24
It’s always exciting to add new members to our team. Here are some of the fresh faces at North Shore Bank.

Systems analyst Dan Fregoso lives in Bay View and is originally from West Allis. He previously worked in the same position at Northwestern Mutual for 10 years. Dan is an avid kickballer. “I’ve been playing kickball for around 10 years, and I organize my own team,” he says. “I mainly play third base or pitcher. We play in leagues in spring, summer, and fall.” And if you’re wondering about that last name — yep, he’s HR rep Cheryl Fregoso’s son. “I have no reason to hide it!” he says. •••

Slow-cooker lasagna: Healthy, delicious

“When I joined the Weight Watchers At Work program here back in 2006, I was always looking for new and healthy recipe ideas,” says corporate receptionist Nancy Hanson. “I came across this in one of the ‘Weekly’ publications that are handed out at our meetings. I thought my lasagna days were over once I joined Weight Watchers, so I got excited when I saw this recipe.” Read on to find out more about this awesome dish.

North Shore Shape Up: Experts differ on protein
Protein is getting a lot of attention right now, especially as high-protein diets become increasingly popular. While there’s no question that we need protein, there are a lot of questions about how much exactly we should consume every day. As Harvard Health puts it:

The ideal amount of protein you should consume each day is a bit uncertain. Commonly quoted recommendations are 56 grams/day for men, 46 grams/day for women. You could get 46 grams/day of protein in 1 serving of low-fat greek yogurt, a 4 oz. serving of lean chicken breast and a bowl of cereal with skim milk. … Based on percent of calories – for an active adult, about 10% of calories should come from protein. … But, some experts suggest that these recommendations are all wrong and that we should be consuming more protein, up to twice the standard recommendations. Still others claim that the average American diet already contains too much protein.

What’s tricky is that high-protein diets are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, kidney disease, digestion problems, and weight gain.

What’s pretty certain is that details matter when it comes to protein. Harvard Health recommends getting your protein from fish, nuts, beans, and poultry, and avoiding protein-rich foods that also contain a lot of carbohydrates and saturated fat. Also, spread your protein consumption over the course of your day, and make sure you get plenty of veggies, fruits, and fiber. And if you’ve got questions or concerns, consult a qualified doctor or dietitian! •••

Upcoming Events
A Grill-Out Fundraiser in Mequon will take place Friday, June 1, at our office there. Get a hot dog to support the work of the Mequon-Thiensville Optimist Club. More upcoming events here.

Internal Job Postings •••

• Teller, Wauwatosa, full time, 40 hours/week. Pay grade: N02. Referral bonus: $300. Internal closing date: TODAY.
• Customer Assistance Rep, Corporate, full time, 40 hours/week. Pay grade: N12. Referral bonus: $400. Internal closing date: Ongoing.

For a complete list of internal job postings and to apply for one, go to nsbcareersforyou.silkroad.com and click on “Internal Openings” at the top. To refer an external person to an opening, go to our intranet page. You can earn cash and prizes for a successful referral!