Staff auditor Monika Ulatt marks 20 years with the bank in August.

When she started at Maritime Savings Bank* in 2000, Monika Ulatt had four small children and was just about to board an airplane for the first time, for a “second honeymoon” with husband Steve. After more than five years working at a small credit union, she was ready to find out more about working at a full-on bank. “I was looking for my ‘career’ and have definitely found it!” she says.

Today Monika’s title is staff auditor, and she and Steve are searching for their dream farm. “We would like to find the perfect property to raise our own food — sheep included! — and settle into a more relaxed and quieter environment,” she says.

“Since joining the audit team, Monika has been a valuable addition,” VP internal audit Randy Kutz says. “Her cheerful, positive disposition makes her a pleasure to work with, not only for the team, but also for anyone else in the organization she contacts in the course of her audits. She is a self-starter and quickly grasps the scope and purpose of any assignment given to her.”

Monika talked with Shorelines about her career and life outside the bank.

What were you doing 20 years ago?
I had made the transition from a small Wisconsin credit union into the community banking world by joining Maritime Savings Bank as an assistant branch manager at the Brookfield location. At home, my husband and I were raising four children — ages 2, 3, 5, and 6 — and looking forward to a “second honeymoon” we had planned to Florida. This would be the first time I was ever going to be on a plane — and we were able to spend an entire week without kids!

We stayed mostly in the Jacksonville area, but completed many day trips to nearby locations. Neither my husband or I had ever been to Disney World, and we were able to explore two different parks. We did plan our first-ever snorkeling experience, but that was canceled due to a possible hurricane. Luckily, we could decide on the fly what to do next — not always possible with kids. That led us to explore nearby, where we found a couple of museums, great shopping, and one of the best meals at a restaurant with a Polynesian show. Also, all week long we were able to sleep in — something that hadn’t been possible for years!

What were your expectations when you started?
After more than five years in the credit union world, I was curious to find out more about “banks,” and Maritime provided me multiple opportunities to learn and grow. When North Shore Bank acquired us in September 2010, I was Maritime’s BSA assistant and security officer and a perfect fit for NSB’s internal audit department.

As a staff auditor, I have met awesome people in multiple departments and learned a lot about challenges they overcome every day. I am also constantly learning and feel that I have contributed to the bank’s overall stability. And I enjoy having some flexibility in my schedule, working independently.

What are the biggest changes in your life since you started here?
All four kids have grown up and moved on. My daughter is settling into a new apartment in Waukesha and working in early childhood education. Two of the boys are living in Madison — one in IT and one in nursing. And I now have a 3-year-old granddaughter living with my other son, the tattoo artist, in New York!

What’s a big lesson you’ve learned in the last 20 years?
Life is always changing, reality is different for us all, and no plans work out perfectly — so be flexible and understanding!

*North Shore Bank acquired Maritime in 2010.