Lake in the Hills held a retirement celebration for Sue on November 11. Customers from both ISB branches were invited to stop by for cake and refreshments.
“When I started working in banking in 1993 at Home Federal Savings & Loan of Elgin, Illinois, our main accounts were checking and CDs,” remembers Lake in the Hills Assistant Branch Manager Sue Tagatz. “Direct deposit wasn’t popular, and debit cards and online banking didn’t exist.”
Much has changed. Sue will leave behind a very different banking industry when she retires tomorrow.
Making connections
Sue started at Illinois State Bank in December 2003 and has also held positions here as a personal banker and branch manager at McHenry. She says that while she loves the convenience of the technology that has appeared to help bankers and their customers, she misses the customers who now come in less often. “With direct deposit, debit cards, and mobile deposit, we tend to see fewer people in the branch, so it is important to keep in touch with them through letters and phone calls,” she notes.
That desire for connection flows both ways, says District Manager Lauri Lunde. “Sue’s customers love her, and when they need anything, she has been their go-to person.”
Sue names Lauri — along with SVP Sue Doyle and Operations Channel Manager Lyneen Fischer — as a mentor who has been particularly helpful throughout her career at Illinois State Bank. “Lauri always pushed me to my potential, understood my personality, and helped me even when I doubted myself,” she says. She adds that bank leadership has consistently been good to her.
Nurturing support
“Ten years ago, when I went through some health issues, they were so very supportive,” Sue says. “And after experiencing a robbery at the McHenry branch, the support I received from Corporate was more than I would have ever expected.”
“I am grateful for the years of service Sue has contributed to the bank,” Sue Doyle says. “She has played an important role in the success of the Illinois State Bank branches. She has a great smile, and her passion for customer service and knowledge of customers have helped her team earn top customer service scores for several consecutive years. Sue enjoys helping other learn banking operations and has been a part of support conversion teams, most recently Layton State Bank. Her dedication to excellence will be missed.”
Now, Sue plans to spend more time with her husband, Paul, and “take those little weekend trips we have always talked about.” He is also retiring, after 42 years with the Union Pacific Railroad. She’ll also spend time with her two grandchildren, volunteer, and work 10 to 15 hours at a flexible part-time job.
As should be clear, she has no major regrets about her professional journey.
“I have always enjoyed working with people and money so I think banking was the best career,” she says. To those who will carry on after her, she adds: “Make sure you enjoy working with people! If it weren’t for those customers and the relationships you develop with them, we wouldn’t have our jobs.”