Sue Doyle, left, congratulates Ruthie McDowell on her 20th service anniversary.
When Ruthie McDowell started working at Badger Bank in September 1992, women had to wear skirted suits — or at least a tailored jacket — nylon stockings, and shoes with a heel of a certain height. They were expected to use makeup and have a hairstyle that complemented their professional image.
And that was for entry-level employees!
She learned that and more at a four-month, four-day-a-week, four-hour-a-day course to prepare women to work in banking: how to use an adding machine, issue a money order, process transactions and write a business letter.
Ruthie appreciates that branch attire now is more casual, but she wishes she had known then how technology was going to affect her job. “It’s wonderful to have electronics that speed processes, but I would have taken computer classes at a younger age,” she says.
Location, co-workers, opportunity create loyalty
Milwaukee Capitol, which was part of the Badger Bank system that merged with North Shore Bank in 1995, has been Ruthie’s home for 20 years, although she has helped out in other branches as a floating teller and trainer. She also has been a CSR and now is a personal banker.
In fact, she considers the opportunity to move from a CSR position to a PB a highlight of her time at North Shore Bank — that and “working with all the individuals I’ve had the pleasure of having on my team.”
And although Ruthie loves her branch location, “It is in an older neighborhood, and I have sadly lost a good many elderly customers,” she says.
She credits Lyneen Fisher, Debra “Jonesy” Jones and Carol Herrmann for contributing to her success and longevity. “Lyneen hired me and was my first manager, Jonesy trained me, and Carol gave me more self-confidence. She taught me that my point of view was important and that she wanted to hear it.”
Had Ruthie not gone into banking, she would have considered law enforcement, “if I could have met the height requirement,” she says. At 5’1” and having the middle name “Tiny,” she might not have intimidated too many criminals.
A rolling chair plus a TV personality create humorous moment
Ruthie’s sense of humor has made for a number of memorable moments, but there is one that stands out: “I was closing a home equity loan years ago, and I rolled my chair back to get at a drawer. The chair flipped over, and I landed on the floor with the chair on top of me. The customer was local TV personality Gino Salamone from WITI Channel 6, who had interviewed people like Sandra Bullock, Will Smith and other high-profile movie stars. I think he keeps coming back to the branch to see what other tricks I can perform! Seriously, though, from that ‘great beginning’ we became good friends.”
When new employees ask Ruthie for career advice, she says, “Get all of the electronic training you can. And be a person who likes people, and people will like you. That quality will take you and the bank far.”
It’s no surprise that Ruthie credits people — customers and coworkers — for her 20 years (so far) at North Shore. But there’s another reason she’s still here: “I enjoy where I work. The bank is a good company,” she says.
“Ruthie is one of the most genuine people I know,” says Milwaukee Capitol Branch Manager Carol Herrmann. “Customers appreciate that about her and continue to come back to Milwaukee Capitol, even after they’ve moved out of the neighborhood, just so they can continue to receive Ruthie’s special brand of attention.”