Sharon Link
The day Sharon Link walked into our Brookfield headquarters was one of the worst — and one of the best — in her life.
After 25 years at Marquette Savings and Loan, Sharon learned in 2000 that it was going to become part of North Shore Bank. “I didn’t know if I was going to have a job, and if I did, what my position was going to be.”
“I stood in the doorway,” she remembers, “unsure where to go and not knowing anyone. Employees were arriving, and no one spoke to me. Then Barb Thompson from Accounting came over and introduced herself and took me to Jan Konkol’s office. I will be forever grateful to Barb. She was my savior that difficult day.”
Customer Support Center was home for 12-plus years
Sharon will retire on June 7, and she reflects with fondness on her 37½ years in banking, first at Marquette and then at North Shore. “I started as a part-time teller at Marquette and moved to full-time teller when we closed Final Touch, our plaster accent business that served hobbyists who decorated plaster molds. Over the years, I held positions as branch manager at the Greenfield office and assistant secretary at West Allis.” She also served as IRA manager and security officer at Marquette.
Since coming to North Shore, Sharon has worked exclusively in the Customer Support Center. Her title, research and special payments specialist, only hints at her scope of responsibilities.
She delves into bank records to be sure information such as name, Social Security number and address are consistent across accounts and locations. And she manages the bank’s safe deposit program — we have safe deposit boxes in 24 locations — keeping the profiles “clean,” monitoring name and address changes as generations evolve, and overseeing billings.
Sharon remembers an 8 percent interest rate yield prediction for IRAs and a whopping 15 percent for CDs — “Wouldn’t that be exciting today?” she says — and marvels at all of the financial products that have emerged.
She can still picture some tellers having to climb on a small box to read the entries on paper rolls the huge old Burroughs machines spit out. She also remembers customers who brought in stock coupons to redeem that were cut from original stock certificates. “They were so pretty — very fancy, with elegant engraving.”
Although Sharon proclaims, “I truly LOVE this industry,” working with the public was a highlight. “My only regret about being in the Customer Support Center is that I truly miss the special relationships I developed with Marquette customers.”
But she has made plenty of friendships with colleagues as well. “I have worked with so many wonderful people over the years, and all have touched my life in a special way.”
Sharon encourages newcomers to consider making banking their lifetime profession. “Learn all you can, be observant of details, and enjoy your customers, both internal and external. You will try harder to master all the aspects of the business if you are committed to staying.”
Travel will define her future
Starting in June, Sharon will join her husband, Wayne, who retired 19 years ago, in a life of travel. They will spend next winter in Biloxi, Miss., and they look forward to Christmas in Colorado with son Daniel and his wife. “Daniel spent 20 years in the Army, so we have spent few Christmases with him since he was 19,” Sharon says.
Summers will find the Links at Riverbend Campground in Watertown. “We won’t have to worry about driving home on Sunday night any more,” she says.
“I will miss Sharon’s amusing anecdotes about Wayne and their exciting vacations, and of course stories about the campground,” says Research and Special Payments Supervisor Natalie Canadeo. “Mostly, I want to thank Sharon for her many contributions. We all will miss her constant smile, outstanding organizational skills and positive attitude.”