YOUR STORIES

Working at North Shore Bank becomes a family tradition

For two Wisconsin families, working at North Shore Bank isn’t just a job—it’s a tradition. Multiple family members have had careers at the bank, drawn by the welcoming culture and positive opportunities for growth. 

It all started in the 1970s when Joan Kiemen started working at North Shore Bank in Shorewood. Two decades later, Joan’s sister, Ann Pier, joined the bank’s HR Department. Like her sister, Ann enjoyed her job, her bosses, and her coworkers, so when her daughter, Laura—then Laura Pier, now Laura Habighorst—was looking for job opportunities, Ann suggested she consider an open position at North Shore Bank. Taking her mother’s suggestion, Laura applied and was hired in 2008. Currently, she is a Credit Analyst. 

Meanwhile, another North Shore Bank connection was forming in a different branch of the family tree. Jon Habighorst was looking for a new career opportunity, and his mother, Celeste Hathaway, also a former employee, suggested he look for openings at North Shore Bank. At the time, she no longer worked for the bank, but she always spoke highly of her experience in the early 2000s at the Menasha and Appleton branches. Jon found a good fit for his experience in financial services and real estate and joined the team in 2012. Today, he is a Commercial Real Estate Loan Originator. 

Then, in 2013, Laura and Jon met at work. As they got to know each other, they discovered they had much in common, including family members who were former employees of the bank. Their professional paths soon intertwined with their personal lives, leading to dating, engagement, and eventually marriage. In 2018 they welcomed their son, Ben. 

It was fun for the families to discover the North Shore Bank connection as Laura and Jon got together.  “It was surprising to find out that Laura’s mother-in-law worked at one of the branches years ago,” Ann said. Ann and Celeste didn’t know each other then, but of course they do now!

Along the way, Laura and Jon have appreciated working for the bank, just as their mothers did before them. “I’ve been lucky to work with a couple of great managers that have helped my professional career in banking grow,” Jon said. “I also like that North Shore Bank is large enough to provide our customers with resources that cover just about every financial need they may require in life.”

Laura is grateful for the opportunities for growth the bank provides. “I appreciate how North Shore Bank really promotes career progression within the bank. I’ve seen so many fellow employees, including myself and my husband, who have started out in one role and advanced into the roles that were more fitting,” she said. 

So will any more Habighorst family members be joining North Shore Bank in the future? Laura said she would not hesitate to recommend that other family members apply—maybe even 6-year-old Ben at some point down the road.

“If he wants to pursue a career in banking, I would absolutely support that,” Laura said. “In the meantime, we will work on his math skills.”

 

BANK ON KINDNESS

Corporate’s Warm Your Heart event benefits Milwaukee shelter

The Corporate Community Outreach Committee is holding a Warm Your Heart event tomorrow (Friday) at the corporate office to raise money for Repairers of the Breach, a daytime shelter and resource center for people experiencing homelessness in Milwaukee. In honor of this event and Valentine’s Day, employees at the corporate office are encouraged to wear red or pink and head to the 4th-floor cafe to decorate kindness postcards and for free hot chocolate and employee-baked sweet treats to purchase. Warm Your Heart is part of our Bank on Kindness™ community commitment. All proceeds will benefit the charity.

In addition, donations of goods and financial contributions will be collected to give to Repairers of the Breach. Nancy Hanson will collect financial donations. The cold weather makes their needs even greater.

Donations of the following items are appreciated:

• Cleaning and sanitation supplies, including bleach, Pine-Sol, laundry detergent, masks, disinfectant spray, gloves (size large)
• Meal program supplies, including 8-ounce disposable coffee cups, disposable soup bowls with lids, three-compartment to-go containers, plastic forks and spoons, sugar packets, creamer packets and coffee stirrers
• Clothing (new or clean and gently used), including men’s clothing, jeans, coats, boots, gloves, hats
• Personal care items, including sheets, blankets, deodorant, men’s and women’s underwear, bath and face towels, and hand warmers 

The kindness of our employees is deeply appreciated by Repairers of the Breach. 

 

FYI

Watch out for these common romance scam warning signs

More couples today meet online than any other way, including being introduced in college or through friends. While meeting online is certainly an accepted way to connect, people looking for romantic partners are wise to watch for warning signs that the person they’re communicating with might be a romance scammer out for money. 

According to the Federal Trade Commission, online romance scams claimed about 70,000 victims in 2022. 03376 In addition to breaking hearts, these scams also have dire financial implications. Older adults, particularly vulnerable to romance scams, lost nearly $240 million to romance scams in 2022. 

So how do you know if someone who claims to care for you is more interested in stealing your money? You can learn more about the common warning signs on our website under the Learning Center’s Fraud Prevention Resource Center section: Romance & Dating Scams. The article provides tips on things to look out for, including: 

• Declarations of love that come too quickly
• Excuses about why the person can’t visit
• Online profiles with few photos
• Requests for financial help that may start small and grow

In addition, AARP and the Federal Trade Commission provide more information and resources about protecting yourself and your customers from scams. 

• AARP Fraud Resources
• FTC Consumer Advice-Scams

All of these resources will prepare you to protect yourself or to help a loved one from making a costly, painful mistake. 

 

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Enjoy Greenlight. On us.

Chores and allowance routines vary from family to family. With Greenlight, a free debit card and mobile app for kids and families, North Shore Bank employees and families can take control by deciding how and when allowance is earned—whether it’s for completing household tasks, achieving good grades, or hitting savings goals.

What’s more, with a checking account at North Shore Bank, you’ll enjoy a $69 value toward your Greenlight subscription. It’s just one more way we’re making it easier to teach smart money habits while empowering the next generation of savers and spenders.

Sign up for Greenlight at a branch or enroll online today!

 

FINANCIAL LITERACY & EDUCATION

Finances stressing you out? Money Mindfulness class can help

Money is consistently a top source of stress for Americans, rising to the top of the Stressors in America list put out annually by the American Psychological Association. A survey last year by CreditWise confirmed it—73% of Americans say finances are their No. 1 cause of stress.

If you are feeling the pinch, you’re clearly not alone. Fortunately, Elevate Wisconsin, a free financial resource for all North Shore Bank employees, offers an 8-week Money Mindfulness program to empower you with the benefits of mindfulness to reduce your emotional responses to money concerns. 

Each week focuses on ways mindfulness can help you minimize financial stress, including building critical coping skills, promoting a foundation of healthy financial habits, and creating a better relationship with your finances. Building a mindfulness practice might be just what you need to understand the role emotions play in your relationship with money, cultivate mindful spending habits, and change your outlook for the better. 

Visit Elevate Wisconsin and click the Mindfulness tab at the top to access the program. 

 

What’s new with you? Share it with Shorelines!

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.

 

Customer Loyalty Tip of the Week

Every interaction you have with a customer is an opportunity to either increase or decrease your credibility.

 

COMMUNITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Discover events and activities in and around your community

• Lowering Your Borrowing Costs with a Grant Seminar | Saturday, February 15, 2025 (11:00 AM) | North Shore Bank-Community Room | 4230 W. Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee, WI
• Fox Cities Kidz Expo | Saturday, March 1 (9:00 AM) | Fox Cities Exhibition Center | 355 W. Lawrence St., Appleton, WI