Lyneen Fischer celebrates 40 years with the company this month. The traditional 40th anniversary gift is ruby. What’s something red that’s meaningful to Lyneen? “Cardinals,” she says. “Whenever you see a cardinal, it means someone is watching over you.”
If you know Lyneen Fischer, it won’t shock you to learn she’s celebrating 40 years at our company this month, given the many roles she’s held here. And in fact, her banking career actually started even earlier.
“I worked in a small community bank in Kiel, Wisconsin, from 1979 to 1981. I started there in high school, through our co-op program,” the VP says. “Those were true bankers’ hours — 9 to 3, Monday through Thursday, and on Friday 9 to 8, for the farmers to bank.”
Though she then decamped to Dallas, Texas, for a brief stint at Home Savings Bank before returning to Milwaukee in 1983 to be closer to family, Lyneen has never left the industry. She became a teller that year at Badger Bank, which North Shore Bank would acquire in 1995. Her titles since have included customer service representative, personal banker, teller supervisor, branch manager, training director, business development manager, district manager, operations channel manager, and security and payments manager.
“I have had the good fortune of working with Lyneen for the past 36 years,” says customer assistance manager VP Colleen Egan, another Badger Bank employee. “Her vast knowledge and experience are outstanding, and she is one of the best detectives you will ever meet.”
“Lyneen’s sincere passion for her work is demonstrated every day,” says her boss, VP customer support Jude Lengell. “Her depth of knowledge is immeasurable, and she is always willing to assist a colleague or customer when needed. I am grateful for her dedication and for being able to work with her for the past 29 years. She is ‘simply the best.’”
Lyneen spoke to Shorelines about her career and plans.
Lyneen, c. 1987.
Would 1983 Lyneen be surprised to hear her job interview would lead to her being here 40 years later?
I enjoyed the customer interaction so much that I believe I could have seen myself in banking long-term. I had the benefit of being able to learn so much, because at that time we did a little of everything: loans, underwriting, closing loans, IRAs, annuity sales, business banking development, operational activities, and of course, customer sales and service.
Do you have a favorite or favorites of the many positions you’ve held?
District manager, as I was able to still communicate with customers and have a book of business while cultivating and coaching employees to be successful in their line of work and even beyond. I still have old employees and customers who approach me in public and remember me! That is so rewarding, to know the impact I made.
And now security and payments manager. I look at security as using my sales and service background. We want to help our customers in the form of education, to help them avoid being victims of fraud. I also enjoy working with the branches and checking and debit card and other teams. I want to help them be successful when interacting with customers and understand the best practices and regulatory requirements of banking transactions.
What are your plans for the next five years?
I want to spend more time traveling and with my children.
What are you proudest of in the last 40 years?
First, being able to balance raising my three children and successfully growing in my career. And of course, also the relationships and mentoring I have had the privilege to enjoy. North Shore Bank has given me a lifetime of family and friends, and so many good memories to cherish. I have been truly blessed and fortunate to be a part of this company.