Lauren Bengtson settles in on front line of HR
Attention, North Shore Bank employees: If you need help with a human resources question, Lauren Bengtson is the name to remember.
Lauren replaces Cheryl Fregoso, who retired last week after 25 years with the bank.
Her new job marks her first time working for a financial institution, and she is looking forward to learning all she can about the banking industry. Lauren talked to Shorelines about what she likes about HR, why she joined the North Shore Bank team, and her heartfelt desire for Milwaukee-area restaurant recommendations. Get to know her now!
Home showcase signals interest in construction loans
This home’s construction was financed by North Shore Bank. It appeared in the BCHBA’s fall showcase.
Despite the lingering economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, last month’s Brown County Home Builders Association Fall Showcase of Homes saw a lot of traffic — and attendees weren’t just window-shopping, says VP and consumer lending manager Chris Boland, who took the opportunity to promote North Shore Bank’s construction loan options.
“I spoke with a number of people who are ready to build and looking for the right builder or the right design,” Chris reports. “They were excited to see all of the style changes available. A number of them are interested in building their forever home, others have growing families and need more space, and others are looking to move to a different area. Whatever their reasons, the sheer number of people coming through the home I was at was amazing.” Read more about our construction loans now!
It’s baaaaaack: Zoo Boo promises spooky fun
Brace yourselves for spooky family fun as the North Shore Bank Zoo Boo returns to Green Bay’s NEW Zoo & Adventure Park for the next three weekends.
The annual event takes place Fridays and Saturdays from 3 to 8 p.m. Dates are October 8 and 9, 15 and 16, and 22 and 23. Find out how to get tickets!
Employees wear pink for breast cancer awareness
At Corporate, eight breast cancer survivors posed together in their pink outfits: Kim Konieczny, Renee Machado, Dorothy Beringer, Karla Lozano, Kate Knox, Cheri Cicona, Mari Schill, and Dana Durocher.
Last Friday, North Shore Bank employees kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a pink dress-down day. Employees could donate $5 to the American Cancer Society and wear jeans and a pink top. Check out their photos!
Gift bags at Hay Daze, kindness in Pulaski
Marie at Hay Daze.
North Shore Bank staff helped the Greendale Lions Club usher in autumn at Hay Daze on Saturday, September 25. The event included hay rides, pony rides, live music, food, and more family fun. Branch staff packed green North Shore Bank–branded tote bags with goodies, and area branch manager Carolyn Lancour and Southridge assistant branch manager Marie Cruz ran the table. “It was so busy!” Marie said. “The bags went in less than an hour — we gave out about 150. It was a great event.”
Katie with recipients of the grocery gift cards.
And Pulaski area branch manager Katie Longsine stopped in at the grocery store as part of our Bank on Kindness initiative. “We were able to brighten the day for a few shoppers by surprising them with gift cards!” she said. •••
Can you let your impatience go?
With so much now available on demand, it can be hard to wait for anything. Impatience is often a wish for control. Can you let go of that today?
Try this meditation for one minute every day, or longer if you want to:
I AM WILLING to wait for something worthwhile. I accept uncertainty and simply watch my breath.
How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of A Mindful Day: 365 Ways to Live Life With Peace, Clarity, and an Open Heart, by David Dillard-Wright.
If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” —Pat Ingelse, AVP and PMP •••
Bank launches chatbot, live chat
In September, the bank launched both a chatbot and live chat service for existing Online Banking customers. These digital services help customers looking for information about our products and services.
Chatbot presents users with a series of prompts to determine what kind of information they’re looking for. When they respond to the prompts, the chatbot will reply and provide relevant links to our website.
If the chatbot doesn’t deliver what they need, a customer can type “rep” to open a live chat session with an employee in the Customer Support Center. For now, live chat is only available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., but those hours will be extended as our reps gain experience with the system. “So far we have been live chatting with a few customers each day, and the results have been very positive,” product manager Eric Brooks said.
You can learn more about our new chat services on Ask Seymour. Let your customers know about this new service! •••
Newsweek recognizes bank as best in Wisconsin
This week, North Shore Bank announced that Newsweek has named it the Best Small Bank in Wisconsin for 2022.
Newsweek partnered with Lending Tree to choose winners from 2,508 financial institutions. Winners were selected based on over 30 factors, including customer service, product offerings, and digital and in-store services.
SVP retail banking Sue Doyle noted in a press release that the bank’s employees are fundamentally the reason we received this award.
“We’re honored, especially following the hard work and dedication of our employees during this challenging year,” she said. “For the past nearly 100 years, we’ve been putting our customers first, ensuring they receive the best choices for lending and banking services along with top-quality customer service, and we’re thrilled to have our commitment recognized in this way.” •••
Bluemel wedding worth the wait
After a long wait, thanks to COVID-19, Muskego branch manager Stephanie Bluemel got married last month to husband Rafael.
“It was perfect,” she said of the celebration at Waukesha’s Loft & Chapel. “We had beautiful weather — high 60s and sunny. All the planning and stress was worth it. I was able to see and hug my grandparents for the first time since the pandemic began, so that was a special moment for me as well.” Congratulations, Stephanie! •••
Cruz’s son catches MLB scout’s eye, Weber’s girl rocks
Southridge assistant branch manager Marie Cruz’s son Natanael — a freshman at Clark State Community College in Springfield, Ohio — recently attracted the attention of a Major League Baseball scout, who mentioned him on Twitter.
“A Texas Rangers scout was out looking at all of the baseball players from the college, but they tweeted this specifically for my son,” Marie said of the post, which names Natanael “top performer” for the college’s Scout Day and describes him thusly: “Silky smooth defender with actions/hands to stay up the middle. Legit defensive tools. Loose, athletic stroke at the plate that generates easy juice. Going to be a good one.” The tweet includes a short video clip of Natanael on the field. “I am so proud of him,” his mom said.
And Shorewood area branch manager and AVP Shannon Weber shared this photo of daughter Izzy at the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast annual “welcome back” event at the Milwaukee County Zoo:
Izzy and Shannon aboard the train.
“The girls were able to learn new animal facts, be creative, and discover new things. Of course, once the event was over, we HAD to stop by and ride the train,” Shannon said. “As we walked up, Izzy saw our logo on the train station sign and yelled, ‘Look, Mom! North Shore Bank!’ I loved her excitement and that we had such a great day.” (Remember: Family Free Day at the zoo is back! The next one is Saturday, November 6.)
Wanna brag about your child or young relative? Send photos and details to shorelines@northshorebank.com! •••