20 years ago, Kroll couldn’t imagine a life in banking
Twenty years ago, senior secondary market specialist Marzena Kroll was still new to the area. She knew almost nothing about banking, much less what a secondary market even was.
“I truly wasn’t expecting to stay here!” says Marzena, who was hired in 2001 as a secondary market coordinator. “I remember thinking, ‘Me banking!? No way!’ at the time. I really had no idea even what a mortgage was!”
Born and raised in Poland, Marzena had moved from there to Chicago in 1995 on a student visa, to learn English and attend Wilbur Wright College. In 2000, she’d gotten engaged and relocated to Milwaukee with her fiancé. “The engagement did not work out,” she notes with a smile, “but Milwaukee is my hometown now.” Read more about Marzena and what has turned out to be a great career!
NSB team ranks eighth in Making Strides donations
Marie (in cap and sash near left end of back row) and Karla (seated in sash in front row) and other team members at the walk at Henry Maier Festival Park.
Southridge assistant branch manager Marie Cruz, business relationship manager Karla Lozano, and other members of the North Shore Bank Goes Pink team came out for the Making Strides of Milwaukee walk last Saturday, October 9, raising funds to help the American Cancer Society fight breast cancer. Read more about how the day went for these survivors!
Cape finds good home with Super Hailie
Hailie Ann, showing the world who’s sponsoring her heroics; and adopting a power pose to strike fear into the hearts of villains near and far.
When Union Grove teller Staci Ryan received a green cape branded with North Shore Bank’s logo from teller supervisor Jackie Miller, both of them knew exactly which hero needed it.
Jackie thought Staci’s daughter Hailie Ann, who will be 3 next month, would be the perfect recipient for the cape, likely a leftover from the bank’s kickoff of fiscal year 2020. “I gave it to Hailie and she put it on, and she ran around the house all night saying that she was Super Hailie,” Staci said. “She even wore it to daycare the next day! I told Jackie that Super Hailie is our new mascot.” Excelsior, Hailie! •••
Employees dress for Brewers Day
Video tellers Maria Navarro and Erika Garcia, area branch manager Maria Baumer, universal banker Erin Hunsberger, and video teller Teresa Sanchez, decked out like they’re heading to Am-Fam Field.
Brookfield Square branch employees and video tellers dressed up to support the Milwaukee Brewers last Friday, October 8, as part of the Corporate-wide dress-down day. “It was a lot of fun — go Brewers!” said personal banker Peg Siebauer. •••
Appleton’s Walk-4-Autism builds back after COVID
A Walk-4-Autism volunteer boogies down with Seymour Savings.
Seymour Savings and Northland teller supervisor Patt Kox showed up for Appleton’s Walk-4-Autism on October 2. Presented by nonprofit Friends of Autism, the annual 5K used to attract around 5,000 participants each year, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The organizers were looking for mascots to entertain kids before the walk began, as most of the groups in the walk included children,” Patt said. “So they asked North Shore Bank because they knew we had a mascot and have done events like this in the past. It sounded like fun!”
For this year’s 15th annual event, Patt says, “They were down to about 1,100, but hope to build it back up.” The walk still raised about $30,000. It featured special guest former Green Bay Packers defensive back LeRoy Butler, who has a son with autism. Friends of Autism volunteer Mel J. wore the Seymour costume and spent the morning playing and dancing with kids. •••
Earn $2,500 for CSC job referral
Get a $2,500 bonus if you successfully refer someone for a position in the Customer Support Center through the end of the year!
To qualify, you must currently be actively employed by North Shore Bank. All employees are eligible except senior executives, HR staff, and CSC managers if the referral is for a position they are responsible for. The referral must come in by Friday, December 31, 2021.
For your referral to qualify, the candidate must remain employed by North Shore Bank for 180 days, and both you and the candidate must be employed here on the payment disbursement date. The first half of a referral payment will be paid out after the new hire’s first 30 days, with the remaining $1,250 paid out after the 180 days are up. Get more information about our job referral program here! •••
Sit and let silence be your teacher
Mindfulness exercises our listening muscles, our paying-attention muscles. It can be practiced while doing anything — paddling a kayak, teaching a class, walking down the street. Comfort with silence lets us be aware of the external as well as what’s inside.
Try this meditation for one minute every day, or longer if you want to:
SIT SILENTLY and listen to the sounds immediately around you. Simply pay attention, and let silence be your teacher.
How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of A Mindful Day: 365 Ways to Live Life With Peace, Clarity, and an Open Heart, by David Dillard-Wright.
If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” —Pat Ingelse, AVP and PMP •••
Service Anniversaries for October 2021
The following employees celebrate a milestone anniversary with North Shore Bank this month.
40 years
Jody Moore, Lending Sales Specialist
20 years
Marzena Kroll, Senior Secondary Market Specialist — read more!
5 years
Larrisa Gilbert, Commercial Loan Specialist
Leave a comment to congratulate them!
Halloween fun, other activities abound over next week
Looking for something to do over the next week? Here are a few suggestions, courtesy of our event calendar.
The North Shore Bank Zoo Boo continues this Friday and Saturday, October 15 and 16, as well as October 22 and 23, at Green Bay’s NEW Zoo & Adventure Park. Read more about the spooktacular family fun in store, including how to purchase the advance tickets you’ll need to get in.
Folks of all ages can pick up a West Allis Paper Pumpkin Patch coloring sheet at our North Shore Bank branch or other participating businesses in West Allis, through Saturday, October 23. Decorate and color the pumpkin, return it to one of those participating businesses, and from Monday, October 25 through Monday, November 1, your work will be on display to help passersby get into the Halloween spirit. More info here.
Professional and aspiring graphic designers can still enter the Germantown Chamber of Commerce’s 5K Candy Cane Run/Walk logo contest through tomorrow, Friday, October 15. The logo must include the name of the event and the year 2021, as well as at least one candy cane. The chosen logo will go on the run/walk’s official T-shirt for this year. More info here.
The 2021 Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival takes place from noon to 5 p.m. this Saturday, October 16, at Kenosha’s Brat Stop & Parkway Chateau. This fundraiser benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha and features Wisconsin cheese and beers, as well as excellent live music. More info here.
And if you have friends or family who are job-hunting, a Virtual LGBTQ+ & Allies Career Fair will take place next Thursday, October 21. Attendees can videoconference one-on-one with employers, chat with each other, see open job listings, get their résumé reviewed live, and more! More info here. •••