Diane Bahringer marked 45 years in banking last year.

When Diane Bahringer got started at Layton State Bank in 1975, she began as a vault receptionist — her responsibilities included safety deposit box contracts and fee collection, as well as giving customers access to their boxes and operating the switchboard.

She was recommended for the job by a great-uncle who was a stockholder with Layton. “I planned to work there for one year while I decided on what path to pursue in life,” she says. “I never expected I would still be working in banking all these years later!”

But when a position opened up in Layton’s loan department, Diane took it, wanting to expand her knowledge of banking. She was a senior loan processing specialist when North Shore Bank acquired Layton in 2016. Her title became mortgage servicing specialist.

Diane in 1975.

“At Layton, being a much smaller bank, I was involved in all aspects of every type of loan — consumer as well as commercial,” she says. “At North Shore Bank, my responsibilities are focused primarily on residential mortgage loan servicing with an emphasis on residential construction loans, which I truly enjoy.” A self-described “huge fan” of HGTV’s lineup of home construction, renovation, and remodeling shows, she loves getting to see how her work helps make such projects possible for Wisconsin homeowners.

“Diane’s prior 40+ years at Layton State Bank speaks volumes to her dedication to her job,” said her boss, residential loan servicing manager Kerry Carrasco. “And that dedication has continued for the last four years as a part of the mortgage loan servicing team. A big part of what Diane does is handling our construction loans, and every deal is different. Her particularly calm demeanor, along with her continuous dedication to her job, make her a perfect fit to handle those loans and an invaluable part of our team.”

“There are so many different areas of banking to learn about, and that is what has kept it interesting,” Diane says of her almost half-century on the job. If she could send a message back in time, she says: “I would tell the 1975 me to make sure to take advantage of every opportunity and to enjoy every moment, because the years fly by faster than you can possibly imagine!”