The heat is on: Mahnke finds joy in world of hot sauce

Before a World War II veteran taught him to cook at age 14, Southridge teller Don Mahnke says, his family’s meals were “pretty bland.” That’s certainly not the case anymore. Today, Don — a self-proclaimed “chilihead” — boasts a collection of over 500 empty hot sauce bottles.

The vet in question, a neighbor who went by Vito, was a horse-mounted cavalry sergeant who hated the meals produced by the regiment cook. “So he took on a lot of the cooking,” Don says. “His mantra was ‘If it doesn’t make you sweat, you’re not enjoying your food.’” Read more about Don’s very cool — and extremely warm — hobby!

Murphy excited to lead Consumer Lending

Last month, North Shore Bank named Mike Murphy our new vice president of consumer lending. An industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, Mike joined the bank last fall.

“Mike is the perfect fit for this promotion, as he has both branch management and mortgage management experience in his past,” said SVP consumer credit sales Mike Kellman. “He has a great demeanor and simply wants the best experience for the customer.”

Mike Murphy talked to Shorelines about his new role.

How are you feeling about your promotion, and what do you hope to bring to the job?
I am very excited for this opportunity and about what we can accomplish. While I have a lot to learn, I’m grateful for all the support that every department has given me during this transition. North Shore Bank has a long history of success in consumer lending, and I hope to offer a fresh perspective. I look forward to incorporating the positive things I’ve picked up over the years to enhance what is already a top-notch operation.

What do you see as the big challenges facing consumer lending right now?
The real estate market and rising rates are the biggest challenge right now. With the economy and the lending environment in a state we haven’t seen in years, we need to constantly reevaluate how we are going about our day-to-day business to continue to grow.

And what are you excited for?
I’ve experienced the very positive cultural difference in how North Shore Bank functions compared with the big banks, and I am very glad to be at a bank that puts the customer’s interests first. We truly have a team culture here, and I am excited to become a more integral part of North Shore’s continued success. •••

A terrific train ride, and a new pup

Muskego universal banker Sara Speich took daughter Braelyn, 7½, to the Milwaukee County Zoo earlier this month. “She had a fun time seeing all of the animals!” Sara reported. While the penguins and other birds were being kept away from the public because of a recent avian flu outbreak, there was still plenty to do.

“She thought it was super neat that North Shore Bank is the sponsor for the Safari Train,” Sara said, “and she just kept saying how cool it is that Mommy works there. We’re looking forward to our next train ride at the zoo!”

And Muskego community engagement manager Stephanie Ruiz and husband Rafael brought a new puppy home over the Fourth of July weekend. “A friend of ours fosters for Texas Rescue Riders in Muskego,” Stephanie said. “After losing our dog two months ago, we caught wind that our friend had taken in a rescue from Texas who delivered 12 puppies. I asked my husband if we could just go ‘look.’ Well, that turned into looking three times, until we picked this cute little girl and brought her home. Her name is Luna, she is only 8 weeks old, and we are absolutely in love. She is such a good, laid-back little girl. She even slept through the fireworks!”

Send pics of kids and pets to shorelines@northshorebank.com! •••

Get $500 off ARM closing costs!
Through Saturday, August 6, customers who take out a new adjustable-rate mortgage will get $500 off their closing costs. With the current economic environment making fixed-rate mortgages less desirable for some homeowners, more and more customers are asking about ARMs. Customers can apply online and should reach out to their local North Shore Bank loan officer for an explanation of the best mortgage option for their situation. •••

Focus on practice, not the results you hope for

The practice of detachment from the fruits of actions is pretty important to the practice of meditation or mindfulness. If you go into the practice thinking I’m going to be walking on clouds or I’m going to learn to read minds, you will feel real disappointment when the hoped-for results do not materialize. However, mindfulness does make practitioners more aware of problems they didn’t know they had. It’s important to just be open to the experience, whatever that might be, without expecting some sort of cosmic reward. Move deeper into silence and wait there. You are completely safe and well — the insight only comes when you are prepared for it.

Try this meditation for one minute today, or longer if you wish:

BE OPEN to the idea that perhaps something else is waiting for you, something you might not have expected.

There are no lessons between teacher and student
in a market of bliss.
Since She owns the actors, the stage, and the play itself
who can grasp the truth of the drama?
A valiant devotee who knows the essence — he
enters that city.
—Ramprasad Sen, Indian poet

How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience with your fellow North Shore Bank employees at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Mindfulness in Plain English, by Bhante Gunaratana.

If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” •••

New Hires for July 28
It’s always exciting to add new members to our team. Here are some of the fresh faces at North Shore Bank.

West Allis teller Kelly Berglund has lived in the Milwaukee area for about 20 years, and previously worked at Western Union in the El Rey Foodmart. “I actually grew up in Indonesia, and I love to travel,” she says. “My parents worked as missionaries overseas, so we moved to Korea when I was 3 weeks old, and then on to Indonesia when I was about 2. We lived there over 10 years!” Kelly and her family often vacation in Mexico, but have also recently visited Toronto several times. She adds, “I am working on saving for a second honeymoon to Las Vegas, and also on my bucket list are Dubai and Africa.” •••

Come out to see North Shore Bank at these events
What’s going on with you? If you or someone in your family has a special event — a concert, show, sporting or charity event, or another important moment — send the details to shorelines@northshorebank.com. We’ll include information about select events to let your colleagues know about all the cool stuff happening with the North Shore Bank team.

Looking for more to do? Here are suggestions from the bank’s event calendar:

The Racine County Fair marks its 100th year this summer. The event at the fairgrounds in Union Grove brings urban and rural together, and is happening now and running through Sunday, July 31. More info here.

North Shore Bank is sponsoring the East Stage at this year’s Brady Street Festival on Saturday, July 30. The fun kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with a “doga” session — that’s yoga for humans and their dogs — run by MKE Yoga Social and Off Leash MKE. Starting at 1 p.m., there will be musical acts including Karmon Blu, negative/positive, Mark Waldoch and the Hallelujah Ward, the Cactus Bros, De La Buena, and Vincent VanGreat, Ninja Sauce, and Amanda Huff. More info here.

Franklin’s 17th annual National Night Out kicks off Monday, August 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Public Library. The kickoff will build support for the nationwide National Night Out celebration on Tuesday, August 2. Along with police on hand to answer questions and emergency vehicles on display in the parking lot, North Shore Bank will be on-site to talk financial safety. More info here.

And Greendale Village Days will take place Thursday, August 11, through Sunday, August 14, in downtown Greendale. There will be music, games, fun, food, and drink — and North Shore Bank will have kindness rocks to decorate on Saturday, August 13. Visitors will also have a chance to win $500 of gift cards for local businesses. More info here. •••