Cheryl Lancaster
Commercial Loan Servicing Manager
“It’s funny, because friends I’ve known since we were young — they’re like, ‘You’re still in banking?'” Cheryl Lancaster says, laughing. “They always thought I would be in writing or art or something like that.” In fact, Cheryl dreamed of attending art school, but the birth of her first daughter meant she had to change plans. That does not mean she lost touch with her creative side, though. Besides painting, drawing, writing and cooking, she is currently learning to play bass guitar. “I started with acoustic guitar, but it was really hard to pick up,” she says. “One of my girlfriends is really good at the bass, so she lent me one, and I’ve been on it for about four months now. For some reason, it just clicks. I don’t know what it is — it should be harder, because it’s so much heavier and longer. I’ve heard people say bass is a ‘man’s’ guitar; I just take that as a challenge!” Beyond that, Cheryl does get to make use of her artistic temperament at work, too. “North Shore Bank is really encouraging of that. They’re big on continuous improvement.” You do use logic when you want to figure out how to do something differently, she says, but it also really helps to get a little right-brained when looking for solutions. “Sometimes the more creative solutions allow us to better serve our customers.”
When did you start at North Shore Bank?
February 17, 2003. I found out about the job through the Journal Sentinel (when I still received an actual newspaper on my doorstep each Sunday). I was hired by Sheri Miller, who left the bank very shortly after I started. I started as a mortgage loan processor, transferred to the Commercial Processing/Closing department in May 2005 and transitioned into Commercial Servicing in 2006.
What’s your favorite book?
My favorite book is the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It’s an early edition; I took it with me from my parents’ house, so I’ve basically used it for everything since I was 18. It’s totally destroyed — sticky, ripped, pages out of order — but I refuse to get rid of it and I cannot find a suitable replacement.
Favorite recipe?
The one the kids seem to like best is the Company Creamed Tuna — which is something I hated as a kid. But when my older daughter was little, it was cheap and easy to make, so I kinda started liking it. My absolute favorite recipes were left to me by my dad, who died in August 1999. He loved cooking for his family and was really the one who taught me the way, aside from my being a short-order cook at a little restaurant throughout high school.
What famous or famous-ish people have you met?
I only know locally famous people. But the most nationally recognized figure I’ve ever met was Gordon from Sesame Street. It was a real honor to meet him, but I was only 9 at the time!
Family: Fiancé Kyle Lang (we are to be married October 4, 2013). Daughters Illana, 16, and Alexandra Rose, 9. Cats Jack, Snickers and Twix.