Dee Patel promoted to District Manager position

When Lauri Lunde applied for a job as a teller with North Shore Bank shortly after graduating high school in 1980, she had no way of knowing that it was the first step toward her lifelong career. After more than 43 years of service, she is retiring on Monday. 

Lauri took business classes in high school, and a teacher of hers mentioned that she thought Lauri would be good in finance. Lauri’s then-boyfriend’s mother (who would become her mother-in-law!) worked at North Shore Bank and suggested Lauri apply for a teller opening just months after graduation. Lauri was hired at the Westgate branch in Racine and immediately loved the job.

“I liked the people I worked with (including her future mother-in-law) and I liked the interactions with customers,” she said. 

Over the years she was a loan secretary, then moved to the former Regency Mall location (now closed) as a banker. She ultimately became a branch manager, then filled a hybrid role of half district manager, half business banker, and then was promoted to District Manager. 

Due to technological advances, the day-to-day workings of the bank have changed numerous times in her long career, but Lauri has always been able to roll with it.

“The biggest thing is being able to adapt to the changes,” she said. “From when I started to today, the changes are unbelievable. When they came out with the TYME card, people could go to a machine and get cash out. And the change in how computers work, and you have online access. I think about all the binders we used to have with policies and procedures!”

Lauri credits her co-workers and customers, as well as Executive Chairman Jim McKenna, who was in charge when she was hired, for making her time at North Shore Bank so fantastic. “To be here this long and still loving it, it’s bittersweet,” she said. “Everybody knows everybody. It’s just like family. I’ll miss the customers, too, however, some customers are now friends and I see them all the time.”

Helping customers and always operating in their best interest have been Lauri’s top priorities over the years. “Do the right things and success will come,” she said. 

Craig Witz, VP Branch Sales Manager, said Lauri will be greatly missed. “She always has everyone’s best interest at heart, and she’s easy to get along with and to get to know,” he said. “She has the amazing ability to both uphold the ideals of what we strive for while recognizing the realities of branch life. She doesn’t see barriers, but asks how do we cross the hurdles. She is highly respected and highly liked.”

District Manager Kerri Collins agrees: “Lauri has been a wonderful peer, mentor, and friend over the years. Lauri has a no-nonsense, calm approach when working with her teams, and her cheerful attitude is admired by everyone that has had the pleasure of working with her. She will be dearly missed by so many, but her contributions to North Shore Bank will live on in all of those she impacted throughout the years.”

Dee Patel will fill Lauri’s position. “(Dee’s) going to be fantastic, she’s great,” Lauri said. 

Dee started with North Shore Bank as an Area Manager in June 2020, overseeing two branches in Illinois that were ultimately consolidated into one, the McHenry branch. She also oversaw the video bankers.

She started working closely with Lauri in January to prepare for the transition to her new role. “Lauri has been awesome, training me, coaching me, and guiding me,” she said. “It’s been an easy transition because Lauri was there with me throughout. I’ve learned a lot from her.”

Dee is excited to learn from the managers she’ll work with and is grateful for the warm welcome they’ve shown her.

Craig said Dee has “great energy and enthusiasm” that she’ll bring to her new role. “Dee brings a ‘what’s possible’ approach and is very action oriented. She is also so positive and energetic that you can’t help but smile when you work with her. She is such an asset to our team,” he said.

After Monday, Lauri is looking forward to more time with her kids and her first grandchild, 8-month-old Evy, and traveling to golf with her husband, Jeff. They plan to get an RV to see the country, head to warmer weather in the winter, and enjoy lots of good golfing. 

Congratulations on your retirement, Lauri, and congratulations to Dee!