Radio show helps bank educate Spanish speakers

For 14 years, Milwaukee-area radio listeners have been getting financial literacy advice from North Shore Bank. And if you’ve never tuned in, it’s quite possibly because you don’t speak Spanish.

On Saturday mornings for eight months of each year, a North Shore Bank employee sits down at the La GranD 104.7 FM studios to discuss money live on the air.

“The show allows us to talk about financial literacy and bank products, as well as to have special guests with different areas of expertise who can talk to a Spanish-speaking audience about credit, business management, and even things like health-related critical information,” area branch manager Alfredo Martin said.

Alfredo, business relationship manager Karla Lozano, and community lending manager Miguel Pesqueira split up hosting duties over the course of each month. Topics include budgeting, building and rebuilding credit, homebuying, mortgages, and much more.

“The show has allowed us to use the airwaves to bring financial literacy to a larger audience,” Alfredo said. “We were doing it prior to COVID-19, and since last year, the radio program has been instrumental in allowing us to continue educating our community, especially since we have not been able to provide our homebuyers seminars in a group setting at our Jackson Park community room.”

“My role is to let people know about North Shore Bank’s Business Banking department,” Karla said. “I talk about the importance of working with a bank that is focused on building a relationship, and also the tools and other resources available to our business customers.”

Alfredo described the opportunities created by the radio show as “immense.”

“A great percentage of our listeners do eventually become North Shore Bank customers,” he said. The show is a key part of the bank’s successful efforts to cultivate clients among Milwaukee’s Latino community.

“The community’s response has been very positive, and beneficial to private and nonprofit organizations that have joined us in informing Spanish speakers about better financial management,” he said.

If you’re interested in checking out the show, you can see when it will air on the Community Calendar. On the next edition, on July 3 at 10:30 a.m., Alfredo will cover mortgage preapproval and real estate, among other topics. •••

Colleagues celebrate Cheryl Fregoso’s 25th year

HR rep — and indispensable Shorelines team member — Cheryl Fregoso celebrated 25 years with North Shore Bank earlier this month. “It was wonderful! Many e-cards and emails congratulating me on this milestone anniversary,” she reported. “My co-workers decorated my workplace so beautifully and made my day special. Lots of people noticed the decorations and stopped by, too.” Congratulations, Cheryl! •••

Going the extra mile shows customers we care

“What more could you ask for?” asks senior vice president consumer credit sales Mike Kellman of this feedback card describing a loan customer’s service from North Shore Bank as “kind, courteous, and professional — well done!”

And AVP area branch manager Carolyn Lancour shared these grateful words with district manager Lauri Lunde:

I just wanted to express my appreciation for the flexibility of consumer loan specialists Kelly Schneider and JoEllen Brisk, and consumer loan processing team leader Glenda Waters, from the loan closing team.

Recently, we had a customer with an auto loan who had two options for a purchase contract and changed his mind at closing about which agreement he wanted to go with. It changed the loan amount, but with the help of Kelly, we were able to get his documents redone to fit his terms, and send him off with his check for his new vehicle, still on time for his son’s baseball game.

I closed a home equity loan where the customers saw the value of joint life insurance at closing, after being presented with the document to sign which they had originally voluntarily declined. JoEllen was able to get me the new documents in minutes and made the closing smooth and efficient.

Glenda stopped by to visit the Southridge branch and see the renovations in process, as well as introduce herself to the team and reiterate her and her team’s commitment to the branches and willingness to help. That is pretty awesome and much appreciated.

Sounds like great work all around! •••

Instead of seeking approval, can you validate yourself?

We often look to others for validation, to hear we are good enough. But the validation that matters most lives right inside each of us. Can you be your own weird, wonderful self today?

Try this meditation for one minute every day, or longer if you want to:

I GIVE MYSELF PERMISSION to do what I love, to stop seeking a stamp of approval.

This meditation was adapted from A Mindful Day: 365 Ways to Live Life With Peace, Clarity, and an Open Heart, by David Dillard-Wright. How did it go for you? Share your thoughts and feelings in Shorelines and you’ll be entered to win a copy of the book!

If you’d like a daily email reminder to do one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” —Pat Ingelse, AVP and PMP •••

Electronic tools make it easy to bank on the go

It’s hard to believe how quickly banking has changed. So many services that once required in-person visits to a branch can now be conducted on the go. Check deposits, transfers, and loan payments can all be performed in seconds on a smartphone or tablet. The North Shore Bank website offers access to numerous digital resources, including financial literacy materials. And of course, North Shore Bank customers can use over 33,000 ATMs, along with our interactive teller machines staffed 70 hours a week by live video tellers. •••

Don’t forget: $50 referral rewards

Reminder: Through the end of the month, the bank is giving $50 to customers for each new checking account opened by a friend or family member they refer — up to 10 total, for a total of $500.

Although bank employees are not eligible for the promotion, you can direct customers to northshorebank.com/TAF. Once they enter their contact info and a friend’s, North Shore Bank will send an email to the friend about the benefits of a new checking account. For each referred friend who opens a checking account by June 30, the referrer will receive $50. •••

Collins’s daughter marries in GB

Last week, district manager Kerri Collins’s daughter Kelly got married in Green Bay. “Her wedding had been postponed since December due to the pandemic,” Kerri said. “The night was magical!” •••