Banking industry veteran Craig Bauer recently joined North Shore Bank as a vice president of commercial banking. Craig has worked in banking for over 25 years, starting as a teller and eventually managing branches, and then moving to commercial lending after going through training with Norwest/Wells Fargo.

He is no stranger to the region — he grew up in Deerfield, Illinois, just south of the Wisconsin border. He has lived in Cedarburg since 1998.

“I’ve been with community banks for over 15 years in the Milwaukee area,” Craig says. “I was attracted to North Shore Bank because of our ability here to combine the high-touch community-banking philosophy with a breadth of product to address customers’ needs.”

What parts of your job are you really into?
Meeting clients, gaining an understanding of their business, and figuring out how we can help them achieve their goals with our products.

What do you see as the big challenges and opportunities for commercial lenders right now?
COVID-19 restrictions have reduced the amount of time we’ve been able to meet face-to-face with both existing clients and prospects. And phone calls, Zoom meetings, and email are fine, but nothing will replace the in-person meeting to find out how we can help a client.

As we transition out of these restrictions, the biggest opportunities will be on the prospecting side. An incumbent bank may not have been as attentive to the needs of their customers, and that customer may be more open to discussions with a bank such as North Shore that has a strong reputation and name recognition in the marketplace.

What should people know about working with you?
I take a level-headed approach to work and life in general, with a positive attitude. I see my role as a value-added resource for both our clients and co-workers.

And what do you do for fun when you’re not working?
My wife and I love to travel. We’ve been fortunate to have four children who have lived all over the U.S. — California, Washington state, Colorado, and Wisconsin — which has given us the chance to see different parts of the country with the kids as local tour guides. We’re also waiting for Europe to reopen so we can reschedule trips that were canceled due to covid.