“My daughter is getting married next summer, and earlier this month, we had a girls’ night helping her pick her wedding dress,” Becky says. In front are daughters Myria, bride-to-be Kaylin, and Ashley. In back are daughter-in-law Katie and Becky.

Last time we checked in with Becky Kolstad, the Sturgeon Bay branch manager was busy preparing for the town’s two offices to merge.

“In the beginning, it was hard for some customers to accept the change,” she says of the merger. “But we were able to win them over.”

Adapting to change has been an important part of Becky’s career at North Shore Bank, since it now spans 40 years. And of course the last five have been especially eventful.

“I learned how to adjust over the last five years, which is necessary in unusual times,” she says. But, she adds, the organization as a whole facilitates that. “As a bank and a branch, we’ve worked a lot on training and developing. We spend a lot of time on career-pathing, technology, understanding the difference between generations and how to work with them.”

She isn’t surprised she’s been here four decades. “I have always been a very dedicated and loyal person, whether it’s my job, family, friends, co-workers, or customers,” Becky says. “I’m also very competitive, so I don’t give up easily. And I’m very optimistic.” She emphasizes that a big part of her longevity has been knowing she was helping other people. “It’s gotta be something you enjoy doing and that makes you feel good.”

The change makes it fun, too. “This industry has changed so much, and it’s always changing,” she says. “People say they want variety in their work, and banking is honestly where it’s at.”