Jeannie Schwenkner at her desk in Loan Operations, where she celebrates 20 years at North Shore Bank this month. In the top left is a photo of her 3-year-old granddaughter, Mackenzie — a big fan of Jeannie’s singing voice!

Jeannie Schwenkner once pictured life as a professional singer. “I had always enjoyed singing in my church choir, and I wanted to go to college to study voice and music,” she says.

College seemed financially out of reach, so Jeannie settled on additional vocal training through her church. A soprano, Jeannie says, “My church affiliation and singing in the choir has helped me continue with the music I love.”

Training helped her build confidence to sing for weddings, a funeral — and in supper clubs, along with piano accompaniment.

Now her favorite audience is her granddaughter, 3-year-old Mackenzie. “Her enjoyment gives me great pleasure,” Jeannie says. “She’s the love of my life.”

Consumer loans always her specialty
On Nov. 11, Jeannie, who has always worked at Corporate in the consumer loan area, celebrates 20 years with North Shore Bank. Her current title is consumer loan specialist, but she has served as consumer loan investigator, consumer loan sales representative and credit sales representative, and she had a role in consumer loan servicing. When help has been needed in our Servicing, Collections and Mortgage departments, Jeannie has stepped in to lend a hand.

Generous with her praise and appreciation, Jeannie credits early North Shore mentors Donna Reddy and Dave Beaumier with supporting her at the start of her career. Although no longer with the bank, Donna and Dave worked in the consumer loan area. “We still are friends and stay in touch,” Jeannie says.

She also has appreciated Loan Operations staff members Missy Hayburn — “She was always there when I had questions about furthering my career at NSB” — and Barb Wisneski, “a positive supervisor who has helped me stretch my mind and my goals.”

And Loan Processing & Closing VP Nicole Daniels “is understanding and helpful, and she’s always available to her employees. She has been there for me when I needed someone to talk to about all aspects of my job and outside life,” Jeannie says.

Selling role is highlight of her job
Having been in banking long enough to participate in the transition from simply serving customers to actively promoting financial products, Jeannie admits to thoroughly enjoying that aspect of her job. “I love the opportunity to sell North Shore products to customers,” she says.

Although most of those contacts are via phone, Jeannie says, “I enjoy the one-on-one with them, listening to their wants and needs and then helping them decide which products best fit them.”

And though she greatly values personal contact, Jeannie knows that the future will bring more self-service for customers, thanks to evolving technology.

But when she considers the days she used to prepare loan documents with a typewriter, she welcomes every new technological advancement. “Imagine what it was like to have customers waiting in the other room — as they often were when we offered car specials, for example — feeling pressure to hurry to complete typewritten forms. There were carbon copies, and we couldn’t submit any document that had an error in it. We got really good at typing without mistakes!”

Adopting the technology that made it possible to prepare loan documents electronically was a giant step into the computer age for North Shore Bank, she reflects.

“I totally love North Shore Bank,” Jeannie says. “I enjoy working directly and indirectly with customers. I have made many friends here, and the management is great. Everywhere you look, you see smiling people who have a positive attitude.”

Jeannie is fortunate to love two forces in her life: She loves banking, and she loves music. “I know music will always be in my heart,” she says.