BRANCH NEWS

Official ribbon-cutting held for new Oak Creek branch

 

It was a great morning as North Shore Bank President and CEO Jay McKenna unveiled the new Oak Creek branch during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 14 to an enthusiastic crowd, including members of the South Suburban Chamber of Commerce, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee County Supervisor Steven Taylor, many local business leaders, and bank employees.

Jay thanked District Manager Brian Bozek and Oak Creek Branch Manager Heather Somers for their hard work in establishing the new branch, then spoke about North Shore Bank’s long history in the community. The first Oak Creek branch opened 20 years ago. The new location, across from the Drexel Town Center, 200 W. Drexel Ave., opened on March 4.

“Our commitment to this community has never wavered, and we’re thrilled to be welcoming our customers in this newer, larger space in the vibrant Drexel Town Square area,” he said.

Brian, the emcee of the event, said the response from the community to the new branch has been outstanding. “Already in just the one week we’ve been open, we’ve heard incredible feedback from customers, community members, and employees alike, and we can’t wait for the excitement to only grow from here.”

Click here for more on the ribbon-cutting. 

 

COMMUNITY-MINDED

Annual Casino Night raises $10K for career, educational opportunities

 

The Howard Suamico Business & Professional Association (HSBPA), of which North Shore Bank is a member, held its Casino Night fundraiser on March 13. Community Engagement Manager and Area Branch Manager Katie Longsine helps plan the annual evening of games, glitz, and giving back to education. This year’s theme was “Vegas Glam.”

The event raises money to support career and college readiness programs through the local school district. Although the exact total has not yet been calculated, Katie said early tallies indicate the event raised more than $10,000, exceeding the $9,000 raised last year. About 150 community members attended to support the cause.

Proceeds from this year’s event will fund the Academic and Career Planning program, a joint initiative of the HSBPA and the Howard Suamico School District. The program offers customized educational experiences for students 01644 as they plan for their future.

Funds also will be given to support the mission of The Giving Tree, which provides access to food, shelter, transportation, and resources for students and families in the school district.

“The night was electric! This event is a wonderful opportunity for North Shore Bank to come together with other local businesses to impact area youth,” Katie said. “Several North District employees joined the event and had a great time participating in the night’s activities and meeting new people.”

 

Guardiola, bank receive Greendale Chamber service award

 

Ray Guardiola, Community Engagement Manager and Area Branch Manager, received recognition for Best Community Service from the Greendale Chamber of Commerce last month. The award was given for North Shore Bank’s contributions to the community in 2023, as well as Ray’s individual contributions.

North Shore Bank is a longtime sponsor of Greendale’s Village Days.

Last year Ray joined the Greendale Public Celebrations Committee, helping to plan and execute community events. Ray also has accepted a position on the Greendale Chamber of Commerce Board for 2024, where he will serve for three years. Ray will focus on member growth and outreach, giving him the opportunity to promote North Shore Bank and grow his relationships as a Community Engagement Manager.

Congratulations to Ray and North Shore Bank for receiving this award!

FINANCIAL LITERACY AND EDUCATION

Elevate offers advice on saving for a rainy day

At some point, we all experience the unpleasant surprise of facing an unexpected expense. Maybe that old car you’ve been nursing along finally quits, or you just can’t wait any longer to repair the roof on your house. Major expenses like this can create financial stress, particularly if you are unprepared.

One effective strategy to handle such situations is to create a budget that includes an emergency fund. This ensures you’ll have the ability to cover life’s unexpected twists and turns.

If you’re not sure how to establish your household budget, Elevate offers free financial security courses for all North Shore Bank employees, providing an excellent starting point.

Elevate offers a course called Budgeting Made Simple that includes a section on fitting a major purchase into your budget. Through this course, you’ll receive ideas and simple exercises designed to guide you through the process of creating a realistic, sustainable budget that includes an emergency fund.

Log in to check out this course and many others on a wide variety of topics. Click here to learn more about Elevate, why it’s an employee benefit, and how to get started.

 

NEW HIRES

February 2024 new hires

Here are the new hires for February 2024. Welcome, all!

• James Ebben joined us as a VP, Commercial Lender in the Business Banking department.

• Andrea Hoppe joined us as a Teller at the Mitchell Street branch.

• Michele Huntley (re)joined us as a Mortgage Loan Originator in the Production/Mortgage department.

• Yesenia Ornelas joined us as a Teller at the Westgate branch.

• Katie Thommes (re)joined us as a Debit Card/ATM Processing Specialist in the CSC department.

 

• Natalie Tomaszewski joined us as a Teller at the Fox Point branch.
• Rick Woldt (re)joined us as a Secondary Market Specialist in the Loan Administration department.

 

COMMUNITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Discover events and activities in and around your community

• 7th Latino Economic Unsummit in Racine | Friday, March 22 (8 a.m.)  at Delta Hotel by Marriott| 7111 Washington Ave. | Racine, WI 53406