AROUND THE BANK

New Mequon branch opens, celebrating 15 years in community

North Shore Bank leaders and employees gathered with elected officials, community leaders, and others to celebrate the opening of the new Mequon branch on Sept. 12. On a gorgeous, sunny day with the attractive, modern branch as the backdrop, President & CEO Jay McKenna and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Drew Wallach cut the ribbon to officially open the location. 

Area Manager and Community Engagement Manager Farrah Mason opened the ribbon-cutting ceremony with a welcome to all, mentioning the “incredible feedback” the new building has received from customers, community members, and employees. “We can’t wait for the excitement to only grow from here,” she said.

Jay thanked Farrah for her hard work in establishing the branch, noting that the space is new but that the bank’s commitment to the community is longstanding.

“Our first branch in Mequon opened over 15 years ago,” he said. “Since then, our commitment to this community has never wavered, and we’re excited to be welcoming our customers in this newer and larger space just right down the road. I’m honored to be here to celebrate achievements like this and I know, as a community bank, we’ll never stop searching for new and better ways to service our community, customers, and partners.”

Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tina Schwantes and Mequon Alderman Brian Parrish addressed the crowd, thanking the bank for its investment in the community. The new bank is 2,400 square feet, featuring an open work environment with sliding office doors for privacy and a video teller for extended service hours through an easily accessible drive-up. It is located at 11333 N. Port Washington Road.

With that, it was time to cut the ribbon. Jay invited Drew, a Mequon resident and employee of the bank for over 40 years, to join in since he doesn’t often get the chance to participate in events like this.

Afterward, guests were invited inside for refreshments and a tour. 

Congratulations to all on the stellar new Mequon branch! 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON THE GRAFTON BRANCH

High-school job making candles sparked employee’s interest in beekeeping

Chris Ersbo, an Investment Consultant at the Grafton branch since January, has an unexpected hobby outside of the financial world—beekeeping. For over 15 years, Chris has cultivated this pursuit, managing 30 hives across five locations, including his home in the village of Chenequa, where he lives with his wife, Jenny. The couple lives on six acres, which is where most of the hives are located, along with two acres of flowers. Jenny, a teacher, also grows flowers professionally, a great complement to beekeeping.

This summer, Chris expanded his beekeeping operations by offering backyard beekeeping services to a few individuals in the community. He also manages hives at local spots such as Stone Bank Farm Market, which buys almost all of his honey, and a restaurant in Delafield. Even though he does sell honey, Chris said he considers himself primarily a hobbyist.

“I do it just for pure enjoyment,” he said. 

A self-taught beekeeper, Chris first developed his interest in high school, making beeswax candles for a business owned by the parents of Olympic gymnasts Morgan and Paul Hamm. The Hamm family business, based in Waukesha, got wax from beekeepers around the country to make their candles, which sparked his curiosity.

When it came time for Chris to dive into beekeeping himself, he gained the necessary skills through YouTube videos and online resources, learning the intricacies of managing hives and producing honey. His current production yields about 3,000 pounds of honey annually. Aside from what he sells to the Stone Bank Farm Market, he shares honey with his lucky coworkers at the Grafton branch, friends, and family.

The team in Grafton is grateful for the honey Chris shares! Lead Teller Aradonis Nusberger and her family use it in smoothies. She also likes it in the occasional cup of tea. “It’s good! Light and sweet,” she said. 

As far as hobbies go, Chris says beekeeping is fun and rewarding. It’s mostly just checking in and ensuring all is well with the hives in spring and summer. Right now, in the fall, Chris is extracting the honey, and that’s the part that takes some time. “At the end of the day, it’s a really easy hobby,” he said, adding that he likes to keep his hives very natural and doesn’t interfere much with their honey production. “Let them do their thing.” 

While Chris doesn’t wear protective gear, the occasional sting comes with the territory. “You smoke them, and they just go about their business,” he said. Of course, situations can arise, but fortunately for Chris, those are rare. Once, when Chris was lifting one of the boxes, it was so heavy that it fell, and he got 80 bee stings—at once!—on his arm. 

Overall, Chris is passionate about his hobby, especially given the critical role honeybees play in pollinating the food we eat. Beekeeping is not just a profitable hobby for Chris but a way to contribute to the preservation of this essential species, which is under threat from parasites and pesticides.

Want to learn more about bees? The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a Bee ID guide that will help you correctly identify what you’re seeing in your yard. 

Grafton branch visitors include many forms of wildlife

Branch Manager Bridget Sobocinski said the Grafton staff is used to brushes with nature year-round. 

“We see a lot of our wildlife visitors,” she said. The creek in the backyard of the branch is a popular spot for turkeys and deer to get a drink.

Turtles have come up the front door, and it isn’t uncommon to see nests buried in the landscaping. 

“Apparently they’ve heard about how great it is to bank at North Shore,” Bridget said. 

 

BANK ON KINDNESS

ELG members help Hope Center with backlog of donations

Members of North Shore Bank’s Emerging Leaders Group volunteered at Hope Center last week, helping them sort through a backlog of clothing donations. The donations are sorted by quality, ensuring the items in the best condition go to the organization’s store where they can be selected by those most in need. Individuals who are homeless or low-income can shop for clothing and hygiene items at the store free of charge. 

Hope Center helps people in Waukesha County with basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing through services, partnerships, and community collaboration. Assisting groups like Hope Center reinforces our commitment to our Bank on Kindness® initiative. 00726

Sue Doyle, Senior Vice President-Retail Banking, appreciated being able to contribute.

“I want to extend my sincerest gratitude for helping make a small dent in the mountainous task the Hope Center has before them,” Sue, one of the Executive Sponsors of the ELG, said.

“It was fun to work together and support such a meaningful organization.”  

Great job, ELG!

 

Brookfield Square branch school supplies benefit local school

Last week, the Brookfield Square branch delivered its Teacher Appreciation Box to Tanya Schwartz at Brookfield Academy.

Branch Manager Mariella Zarb shared the note of gratitude they received for the gift:

The note said, in part: “Thank you so much for thinking of me and Brookfield Academy in receiving such a rewarding gift! I truly was surprised! The generosity and gratitude that you and your team at North Shore have shown is just tremendous and very welcoming.”

The box was part of the “Build a Teacher Box of Appreciation” Bank on Kindness® initiative to help teachers and students start the school year off right.

 

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Community celebrates Mexican Independence Day at Sept. 15 festival

Alfredo Martin, Community Engagement Manager, and his son, Alfredo Martin Jr., represented North Shore Bank at the Mexican Independence Day Festival held Sept. 15 at the UMOS Corporate Headquarters on Chase Avenue in Milwaukee.

This year marked the 50th year of the event!

The festival offered fun for the whole family, including carnival rides, live music, shopping, food, and community resources.

A parade to celebrate moved through the neighborhood. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HEALTHY YOU

Fall is a great time to create new routines, focus on healthy habits

Four tips to help your kids adjust to being back in school

After a few months of summer fun, it can be difficult for children to transition back into school mode. This list of back-to-school tips provides a few ideas for parents to try if their kids are having a hard time getting into the groove of the school year. These include focusing on sleep and building routines that will make it easier for children to be successful in the classroom. 

Get your health back on track by quitting smoking

When you stop smoking, the health benefits begin almost immediately. In less than a day, your blood pressure, heart rate, and blood carbon-monoxide level all return to normal. Within weeks, your circulation and lung function increases.

Long-term, the benefits are even better. Within one year, your risk of coronary heart disease is half that of someone still using tobacco, and your risk of heart attack drops dramatically. 

If you’ve been thinking about quitting tobacco or nicotine, there’s never been a better time than right now. Click here to get some good ideas on how to get started.

Flu shot clinic offered at Corporate office Sept. 26

Don’t let the flu get you this year! North Shore Bank is again offering an on-site flu shot clinic from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the Corporate office in the Presentation Room. Please schedule your appointment by visiting the What’s New banner in Ask Seymour. Contact Morgan Stark if you have any questions. 

 

Customer Loyalty Tip of the Week

Be careful not to give your customers orders. Avoid language like “have to,” “must,” and “should.”

 

COMMUNITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Discover events and activities in and around your community

• Brown County Home Builders Showcase Ticket Pre-Sale | Tuesday, September 3 to Sunday, September 29 | All Brown County North Shore Bank Offices
• Golf For Gear Supporting First Responders in Door County | Friday, September 20 (12PM) | Idlewild Golf Club | 4146 Golf Valley Drive | Sturgeon Bay, WI
• Join in the Giraffe Birthday Celebration at the Racine Zoo| Sunday, September 22 (10 AM) | 2131 N. Main St. | Racine, WI
• Fire Up Your Taste Buds for North Shore Bank Southside Dining Week | Saturday, September 28 to Saturday, October 5 | Milwaukee’s Southside
• Greendale Oktoberfest | Saturday, September 28 (2 PM) | 5798 Broad St. |Greendale, WI

Shorelines wants to share news about YOU!

Just a reminder that we’re always looking for fun and exciting things to share in Shorelines.  Whether it’s a special event at your branch or a shout-out to one of your coworkers, a great trip you went on with family or friends, information about a half-marathon you’re running, or even just a fantastic photo you took over the weekend, we’d love to share it! Please email shorelines@northshorebank.com to have your news included in a future issue.