20 years in, Sharon Ott says details keep her interested
Electronic banking specialist Sharon Ott marked 20 years with the bank earlier this fall. Before assuming her current title, Sharon also worked as a teller and a deposit services representative. “Learn everything that you can to do your job to the best of your ability,” she advises anyone who hopes for a long career in banking. She talked with Shorelines about how technology has changed the industry and her passion for detail. See what Sharon has to say!

2017 Service Stars talk about why they excel
At our annual awards presentation in October, North Shore Bank recognized 11 employees who have each received 20 or more compliments from customers every year for five years or longer. That’s a lot of compliments! Shorelines reached out to these Service Stars to find out what makes them tick. See who they are and what they had to say!

Corporate holiday party brings in donations for vets
Corporate employees raised $1,766 for veterans’ organizations in conjunction with this year’s holiday celebration, held December 14. That money was split evenly between the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative and the Wisconsin Veterans Home, along with household goods and food donations. Read more to see who won the day’s Ugly Sweater Contest!

Pulaski helps brighten holidays for families
For the past several holiday seasons, the Pulaski branch has worked with a local church to support a family in need. And this year, the branch fundraised throughout the year and collected enough money to adopt two families! Each family has four children.

“Our biggest fundraising success came from our annual bake sale in the first week of December,” branch manager Katie Presser said.” Our entire staff worked very hard baking delicious goodies for our customers and community. The bake sale is always a big hit, and a few of our customers went above and beyond this year in supporting our cause.” One local business owner purchased $5 worth of baked goods and donated $100. Another customer donated $25, Katie said.

Thanks to employees’ hard work and customers’ generosity, the branch purchased hats, gloves, pajamas, and other clothes, as well as toys and books, for eight children. Assistant branch manager–operations Karen Jach also hand-made a quilt for each child, based on their likes and hobbies. •••

Franklin shows off sweaters
Employees at Franklin celebrated the holidays on Tuesday by wearing ugly sweaters, doing a potluck lunch, and exchanging Secret Santa gifts. Very merry! •••

Shorewood breaks new ground
Groundbreaking on our new Shorewood branch took place December 12. Construction is expected to be finished by late May or early June, branch manager Shannon Weber says. •••

Appleton parade draws crowd
The Appleton Northland branch took part in the 47th Annual Downtown Appleton Christmas Parade on November 21. “It was a lot of fun,” reports branch manager Heather Starr. “It was very cold, but that didn’t keep the crowds away. The parade stretches about a mile, and the sidewalks were packed on both sides of the street the entire way.” •••

Bank matches donations to help Menasha firefighters
North Shore Bank helped Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue raise funds this year to replace the sound system on the group’s iconic Santa float.

Since 1950, firefighters in the communities of Neenah and Menasha have operated the iconic Santa float, taking it throughout the towns to bring some holiday joy to the public. The float is funded entirely by donations.

“North Shore Bank matched donations that were collected for the float, up to $1,000,” Menasha assistant branch manager–operations Jill Heule said. “We collected a total of $1,066 — so with the matched amount, the department had $2,066 to pay for a new sound system.”

The firefighters brought the float to the branch’s parking lot on November 25. The branch served cookies and hot chocolate for visitors that day. •••

North Shore Shape Up: Care for dry skin
Dry skin is a big problem for many of us in this part of the world during the winter. Fortunately, Harvard Health has some tips for keeping your epidermis happy even when the air is chilly and the humidity low:

• Use a humidifier in the winter. Set it to around 60%, a level that should be sufficient to replenish the top layer of the skin.
• Limit yourself to one 5- to 10-minute bath or shower daily. If you bathe more than that, you may strip away much of the skin’s oily layer and cause it to lose moisture. Use lukewarm rather than hot water, which can wash away natural oils.
• Minimize your use of soaps; if necessary, choose moisturizing preparations such as Dove, Olay, and Basis, or consider soap-free cleansers like Cetaphil, Oilatum-AD, and Aquanil. Steer clear of deodorant soaps, perfumed soaps, and alcohol products, which can strip away natural oils.
• To avoid damaging the skin, stay away from bath sponges, scrub brushes, and washcloths. If you don’t want to give them up altogether, be sure to use a light touch. For the same reason, pat or blot (don’t rub) the skin when toweling dry.
• Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing or washing your hands. This helps plug the spaces between your skin cells and seal in moisture while your skin is still damp.
• To reduce the greasy feel of petroleum jelly and thick creams, rub a small amount into your hands and then rub it over the affected areas until neither your hands nor the affected areas feel greasy.
• Never, ever scratch. Most of the time, a moisturizer can control the itch. You can also use a cold pack or compress to relieve itchy spots.
• Use fragrance-free laundry detergents and avoid fabric softeners.
• Avoid wearing wool and other fabrics that can irritate the skin.

If you have severe dry skin or see no relief after using these tips, get in touch with your doctor. Stay supple! •••

Upcoming Events
Green Bay Gamblers Princess Night presented by North Shore Bank takes place December 27. See the Princesses on Ice and hear them perform your favorite songs. More upcoming events here.

Internal Job Postings •••

• Personal Banker, Muskego, full time, 40 hours/week. Pay grade: N15. Referral bonus: $500. Internal closing date: TODAY.
• Customer Assistance Representative, Corporate, full time, 40 hours/week. Pay grade: N12. Referral bonus: $400. Internal closing date: Ongoing.

For a complete list of internal job postings and to apply for one, go to nsbcareersforyou.silkroad.com and click on “Internal Openings” at the top. To refer an external person to an opening, go to our intranet page. You can earn cash and prizes for a successful referral!