Options for drive-up banking have evolved with times
This picture of the then-new drive-up canopy at Shorewood, from our 1984 annual report, features Sue Doyle’s blue Dodge Colt. “I laughed when I saw it,” she says. “I don’t recall staging this photo at all.”
A century of history naturally means we’ve had to grow to meet our customers’ changing needs. One of the more notable examples of this is how we adapted to demand for drive-up banking solutions. Former VP and branch administration coordinator Darrel Eisenhardt and head of retail banking SVP Sue Doyle put together an overview of the evolution of drive-up banking at North Shore. Check it out now!
Throwback Thursday: Interest rates always changing
In 1970, we promised customers: “There’s no safer place to earn the highest rates allowed.” Interest rates are like the tides — rising and falling over the years. Take a look!
Shorewood surprises customer with $100
This recent $100 giveaway at Shorewood was an undeniable success, as you can see from this video, which we posted on social media.
As mentioned at the start of the year, as part of North Shore Bank’s centennial celebration, we will be randomly surprising retail customers at our branches with $100 cash prizes throughout 2023. This lucky winner was Ursula, at the Shorewood branch.
“Ursula has been a valued customer for a while now and was incredibly grateful to receive the money,” said universal banker Micki Usama, who presents her with the prize money in the video. “She visits the branch often, and every time I speak with her, she expresses her gratitude for being a part of North Shore Bank. It was heartwarming to see the joy on her face when she realized she had won.” •••
Burlington auction guests return to gathering in person
Auction attendees could bid on experiences like the chance to roast their own coffee, brew their own beer, or go rock climbing.
Around 280 people came out for the 79th annual Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce Auction at Hawk’s View Golf Club in Lake Geneva on January 20, the first in-person iteration of the event since 2019. While the auction has traditionally been accompanied by a formal dinner, this year featured a “Winter Tasting Tour” where guests could sample wine, bourbon, and craft beer, as well as enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres. The auction itself boasted over 170 items and experiences up for bid, including a charcuterie board worth over $700.
“We ran out of room to display all of the auction items, due to the awesome response we had for donations,” said Burlington branch manager AVP Robin Callis, who was also one of the five members of the auction committee. “The entire chamber board rallied together to make this event a success, and we are extremely appreciative of the overwhelming response from the community. We hope next year’s event will be even bigger and better!” •••
Metro North SOAR survey yields many compliments
In January, the Metro North District* invited internal customers to take the internal SOAR Together survey and rate their satisfaction with the service they’ve received from our branches. We received 110 responses rating the respondents’ satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 meant our branches were “Not easy to work with” and 7 meant they were “Very easy to work with.” Cristen Baumann has the full story!
$300 off closing costs this month for Mortgage Days
It’s that time of year: Mortgage Days are here again. This month, North Shore Bank has deals for homebuyers or buyers building a new home, as well as customers looking to consolidate debt or use a home equity line of credit for any other purpose.
Through February 28, we are offering $300 off closing costs on any mortgage application. Plus, if customers apply for a portfolio mortgage during the month of February and close before the end of March, we will give them a coupon for $750 off future closing costs on a refinance through North Shore Bank in the next five years if rates drop.
HELOC customers can lock in a fixed APR of 5.50 percent for five years. (The non-promotional variable rate is currently 7.24 percent.)
Mortgage Days are a great time for customers to acquaint themselves with our tools, resources, and mortgage experts. They can get more information and schedule appointments at northshorebank.com/mortgagedays. •••
Online tool can help adjust budgets hit by inflation
The high inflation we’ve experienced over the past year means we’re all facing higher prices for just about everything we buy. Because inflation is a macroeconomic phenomenon, there’s not much any one person or family can do to reduce its impact.
Instead, dealing with inflation often means trimming our budgets and cutting out non-essential purchases. That’s never fun, but our online coaching tool can make the process a little easier by helping to identify expenses that won’t be missed. •••
New Hires for February 2
It’s always exciting to add new members to our team. Here are some of the fresh faces at North Shore Bank.
Regional account manager Matthew Schwartz is from Coopersville, Michigan, and has lived in western Michigan his whole life. He’s been in the RV industry for five years and previously worked as sales finance manager at an RV dealership. “I’ve been to five countries in Europe — France, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, and Austria,” Matt says. “I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to Europe through People to People Student Ambassadors, which is a program that President Eisenhower started back in 1956. I fundraised about $5,000 to pay my way to go on the three-week trip to Europe. During that trip, I stayed with a family in Austria for four days to experience their culture. We also went hiking in the Swiss Alps.”
Senior lender and VP Jack Walden is originally from Janesville and now lives in Fort Atkinson with his wife and twin boys. He was previously a commercial banker at Blackhawk Bank. He and his family enjoy traveling. “This past fall, we went to Europe as a family, spending some time in both London and Paris,” he says. The trip was a first for the kids. “Some of the highlights were Big Ben and the Louvre.” •••