Annette Mueller, AVP-Quality Assurance Manager, retires this month after nearly 50 years in banking. She’s been with North Shore Bank for almost four years. Read more about Annette’s career and what she’s loved about working for North Shore Bank. 

What drew you to working in banking?

Over 48 years ago, a local bank president visited the high school I was attending and asked the teacher in charge of the business curriculum if she had any students she would refer for a career in banking. I took many business classes and did quite well, so she gave him my name. After one phone call and interview (and no paperwork), I was hired! My, how the times have changed.

I was fortunate to work in various roles throughout my career, from all branch roles (teller to branch manager), consumer and mortgage lending to managing student loans, merchant services, credit card and indirect lending portfolios, and finally, corporate marketing, compliance, and product development.

Is there anything about your time at North Shore Bank that stands out to you?

Everyone is so nice and kind. I’ve met so many great people who I now consider friends that I will surely stay in touch with.

What have you enjoyed most about your job?

The variety of work and projects. I have been able to tap into past roles and apply that experience to the various projects and deliverables here. 

What are your plans for retirement?

Everyone tells me I’ll be busier in retirement than when I was working full-time. I plan to continue traveling (Norway cruise and the Arctic Circle in 2025), hiking, and exploring the great outdoors, including national and state parks.

I’ll be spending more time with family, including attending the grandkids’ events, getting some minor home improvements completed, and volunteering for causes near and dear to me.         

Would you like to offer a few kind words to the individual moving into your position? 

I have worked with Theresa Hofer for over three months and know she’ll do great. Be nimble and open to new challenges, and enjoy the valuable partnerships you’ll cultivate and grow.

Any parting thoughts or words of wisdom for the team you worked with at North Shore Bank?

Continue the great collaboration and teamwork. Never take for granted the people around you. Always take advantage of opportunities, even unexpected ones. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and embrace the unknown. Always be kind and know that you made a difference at the end of the day.

Annette’s closest coworkers wanted to share their well-wishes and reflections on working with Annette. 

“Annette has done a terrific job for the bank stratifying processes and perfecting a lot of documentation that will be in place for years, all with an infectious spirit and kindness. I am very lucky to have had the chance to work with her for the last four years.” — Dean Trout, Senior Vice President, CIO-Info Systems

“The very first day Annette joined the Customer Support Team, her enthusiasm and positive energy was infectious. No matter how many projects Annette was working on, she always had time to share her bright outlook and passion for career and life.” — Colleen Egan, Vice President Contact Center

“Annette and I collaborated frequently, and from the first project, it was easy to see why Annette was going to be such a great fit at North Shore. She’s so easy to work with and committed to improving the customer experience and/or bank processes in every document she touched. I consider myself fortunate to have had an opportunity to work with and learn from Annette.” — Kristen Gagliano, Vice President Compliance and BSA Manager.

“Annette was such a pleasure to work with. She was always seeking out ways to streamline processes and make documents more user-friendly. I am going to miss seeing her infectious smile every day.” — Laura Kramer, Vice President Debit Card and Banking Operations Manager

Congratulations, Annette, and enjoy your retirement!