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Bank Five Nine Celebrates a 13th Top Workplaces Win

Bank Five Nine has been awarded the 2022 Top Workplace honor by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for the 13th year in a row. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC.

Highlights of the Bank Five Nine award include:

  • Bank Five Nine is one of only nine companies in Southeast Wisconsin to have earned this recognition for 13 straight years.
  • Within the medium-sized company category, they ranked #9, and are the highest-ranked bank.
  • They earned a Specialty Award for Managers, which was based on employee feedback that their managers help employees learn and grow, make it easier to do their job well, and care about concerns.

“Because of the personal efforts of our employees to make lives better each day for our customers as well as their coworkers, we have earned a reputation of being a great place to work.  We have created something unique and our employees’ hard work and dedication have helped shape this company into who we are today, and what we will become tomorrow. This award is truly a team accomplishment” said Mark W. Mohr, Bank Five Nine president and CEO.

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Lorna “Rory” Hemp Boll Joins First Business Bank as Vice President – Trust Advisor

First Business Bank is pleased to welcome Lorna “Rory” Hemp Boll, JD, MBA, CFP, as vice president – trust advisor in our Private Wealth group.

“Rory brings strong, valuable experience to our trust and administration team,” said Brendan Freeman, president – private wealth. “We are pleased she joined us and expect our clients to be impressed with her knowledge and passion for helping them achieve their priorities.”

Prior to working at First Business Bank, Rory served as commissioner (chair) of the State of Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission where she adjudicated tax cases and authored numerous legal decisions. Prior to her appointment to the Commission, Rory was a vice president & trust officer for SVA Plumb Trust Company/SVA Plumb Financial for ten years and a vice president at M&I Trust Company (now BMO) for five years. In her prior roles as a senior trust officer in the Madison and Milwaukee markets, Rory worked with both institutional and high net worth individual clients on issues involving estate and tax planning, trust administration, various aspects of financial analysis, investment management, and retirement planning. Rory also played key roles in the business development/proposal process for nonprofits and trust and investment prospects.

Rory has served as a volunteer and board member for a variety of organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She is an avid snow skier and tennis player and is currently the Edgewood High School girls varsity assistant coach. She and her husband have two sons and live in Madison.

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Citizens Bank Announces Recent Promotions

Moves come as community bank continues to grow in Waukesha and Walworth Counties

Citizens Bank is pleased to announce the following promotions and new hire:

Adam Raychel has been named senior vice president – chief financial officer. He is responsible for overseeing the areas of finance and IT, along with the deposit and loan support areas. Adam received a master’s in accounting at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has over 16 years of experience in the banking industry. He currently holds a CPA credential in the state of Wisconsin.

 

 

 

Ryan Lilly has been named first vice president – business banker. Ryan joined Citizens Bank in 2015 and has 15 years of banking experience. He has developed a customer-first philosophy that guides him to provide the best experience possible for each of his clients while helping them find and unlock the keys to their growth. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

 

 

 

Frank Sterbin is welcomed as chief credit officer. In his role, he will be responsible for managing the bank’s Commercial Credit Team. Frank earned his bachelor’s in finance from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and his MBA from Marquette University. He is also a board member of RAMAC and is involved with other non-profit organizations.

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Bank First Announces Recent Promotions

Mike Molepske, chief executive officer of Bank First is pleased to announce the following promotions:

Elizabeth Miller has been promoted to vice president – deposit operations. Elizabeth joined the bank in 2009 as a teller/customer service representative and advanced into other roles such as personal banker, assistant branch manager, branch operations/training coordinator, and most recently as deposit operations manager. In her role, Elizabeth will continue to use her extensive banking experience to oversee deposit operations of the bank. She attended Lakeshore Technical College and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Lakeland University. Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband, Joe, and their three children. Her hobbies include crafting, spending time in her garden and flowerbeds, as well as hunting and fishing at their family cabin.

 

Phil Plagemann has been promoted to facilities officer. Phil joined the bank in 2018 with several years of maintenance and carpentry experience. He served as facilities specialist and was later promoted to facilities manager. In his current role, Phil performs and manages general branch maintenance and oversees the facilities team, which is responsible for day-to-day maintenance and courier needs. He works closely with external vendors, architects, and engineers and is instrumental in coordinating the bank’s construction projects including new branch designs and the renovation of current offices. He received his journeyman apprenticeship in Carpentry from Lakeshore Technical College. Phil has been a volunteer firefighter for 18 years and is active in his children’s athletic programs. He lives in Kiel with his wife and two children. They enjoy camping, sports, hunting, and woodworking.

 

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Pete Thostenson Joins Oak Bank as Deposit Operations Specialist

Oak Bank, Fitchburg’s community bank since 2000, is pleased to welcome Pete Thostenson to the team as a deposit operations specialist.

Thostenson brings sixteen years of experience in banking to Oak Bank. Working closely with Deposit Operations Manager Amber Lehnherr, Thostenson will assist in several important activities, including ensuring internal deposit compliance and maintaining the bank’s deposit portfolio by analyzing and reviewing deposit accounting reports.

“We are excited to add Pete to our team,” said Amber Lehnherr, deposit operations manager. “His knowledge and experience in previous deposit operations roles, as well as with ACH, will be a great asset to Oak Bank and our ability to serve our clients.”

Thostenson will support Oak Bank clients in ACH (electronic financial transactions) areas, including debit/ATM transactions, mobile banking, and wire transfers. And, if a client has a debit card dispute, receives a security alert, or in the event of a fraud case, Thostenson will be right by their side.

“Scams and fraud are an unfortunate reality in the digital world we live in,” said Thostenson. “If one of our clients needs us, they can call me directly – not a 1-800 number with a bunch of automated responses. I am here to navigate what to do with as little disruption as possible.”

Thostenson enjoys biking on Madison’s many trails and volunteering at the Dane County Humane Society.

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Engage in Every Membership Opportunity

Reserve a space in WBA’s Engagement Center today!

The Enterprise Risk Management Peer Group met in person and virtually in the WBA Board Room. This room accommodates 12–20 people.

Since the completion of WBA’s remodel in 2020, hundreds of bankers from around Wisconsin have had the opportunity to experience the new Engagement Center. Featuring two dedicated training rooms, a board room with video conferencing capabilities, and a conference room with a touchscreen smartboard — the Engagement Center offers the space and capabilities for WBA-member bankers to learn and connect.

In addition to providing bankers a space to attend WBA educational courses and training events, these spaces are available for every WBA member bank to reserve.

WBA welcomes every member bank to take advantage of the Engagement Center for the benefit of their teams. From technology-enabled spaces to a beautifully redesigned café, WBA’s modern facility is a resource that banks can use to hold strategic meetings, training presentations, or remote conference calls. The Engagement Center also serves as a quiet spot in the Madison area for those bankers visiting the state’s capital and looking to get work done.

Any WBA-member bank looking for additional locations to hold meetings, meet between branches, or access technology-enabled spaces to train, present, or remotely connect is encouraged to take advantage of WBA’s Engagement Center.

Please contact WBA’s Association Meeting Planner/Engagement Center Manager Jody Roos at jroos@wisbank.com to learn more about what the Engagement Center offers or to reserve a space.

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Legacy Private Trust Company Announces the Appointment of Marissa Downs to the Board of Directors

Legacy Private Trust Company recently announced the appointment of Mrs. Marissa Downs to their Board of Directors. Downs will fill a newly created board position, and all current Legacy directors will continue to serve. Legacy’s board now consists of Mr. Michael B. Mahlik, Mr. Joseph E. McGrane, Mr. James F. Beré Jr., Mr. Richard A. Bergstrom, Dr. Timothy T. Flaherty, Mr. Paul A. Klister, Mr. Fredrick W. Merizon, and Mrs. Marissa B. Downs.

According to President Michael Mahlik, “The Legacy Board of Directors is comprised of distinguished business and community leaders dedicated to contributing their expertise to support our mission of providing outstanding wealth management to our clients. Marissa was selected from an extensive list of potential board candidates because of her deep roots in the Fox Valley, the unique perspective she will bring to the board, her strong business acumen, and the level of both personal and professional respect she enjoys. Marissa will be a valuable resource in expanding our company brand, strategically analyzing and positioning our company, and expanding our service offerings and geographical footprint.”

Marissa Downs received a BBA from U.W. Madison in 2001 in real estate and urban land economics.  She began her career as an analyst at Related Capital, after which she has served as the director of development at SunStarr Real Estate Group and the senior vice president at Commonwealth Development Corporation. Marissa is currently a principal at Mosaic Property Ventures, a multifamily housing development company. According to Marissa, “Mosaic takes a thoughtful approach to community development by creating dynamic neighborhoods and housing opportunities for individuals, families, and older adults.”  Marissa currently serves on the board of the Trout Museum of Art and the Wisconsin Partnership of Housing Development Inc. She also serves as a committee chair for the Appleton Redevelopment Authority. When asked about her Legacy board appointment, Marissa replied, “I have tremendous respect for the existing Legacy board members both as individuals and professionals. Legacy has a successful history of assisting clients with wealth creation and protection, and during uncertain financial times, this is more important than ever. I’m proud to be a part of the leadership team, ensuring this tradition continues. I look forward to sharing my perspective as not only the first woman to serve but also as the first board member to represent my generation.”

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The Stephenson National Bank & Trust Celebrated the Power of CommUNITY

Kendra Anderson with members of the De Pere Police Department

In an effort to celebrate the strong bond and relationship between local businesses, schools, and families and their hometown community bank, The Stephenson National Bank & Trust (SNBT) recognized the Power of CommUNITY Week April 18–23 during National Community Banking Month and National Financial Literacy and Capability Month.

The purpose of Power of CommUNITY Week is to highlight the longstanding tradition of local hometown community banking. We urge consumers, small business owners, farmers, and community leaders to learn more about the relationship community banks have with the communities that are not home only to our bank, but our families and our livelihoods. The role banks play in building strong communities, and the quality products and personal services we provide give our customers the support they need to succeed.

Below are the ways each SNBT Office participated in the Power of CommUNITY week:

  • The Marinette Office bought lunch for the Peshtigo Fire Department and donated money to help families recovering after a fire.
  • The Menominee Office donated to the Emergency Rescue Squad of Marinette.
  • The Oconto Office gave $50 Gift Certificates from Brubaker’s, along with other essentials to 16 Oconto foster families.
  • The Crivitz Office donated to Operation Bandshell – to help build a bandshell in the community park. They also donated to the Crivitz Middle School, in their efforts to build an outside area for children.
  • The Wausaukee Office donated to the Wausaukee Rescue Squad and Wausaukee Fire Department.
  • The Pembine Office donated money to help with improvements to the American Legion Park.
  • The Green Bay Office brought a meal to Ashwaubenon’s Police and Fire Department. In addition, they will fill the De Pere Soccer concession stand and organize SNBT volunteers to help.

“On a regular basis, we dedicate time, effort, and resources to strengthening our community. This is our way of joining together with the rest of the Wisconsin banking industry to show the tangible ways in which we empower the communities we serve,” said Dan Peterson, SNBT president & CEO.

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Security Financial Bank Names New Chief Operations Officer

Mark Oldenberg, president & CEO of Security Financial Bank (SFB), is pleased to announce that Julie Sabelko has been promoted to chief operations officer (COO). Sabelko has been with SFB for 34 years in multiple roles, most recently serving as the director of quality control. As COO, Sabelko will oversee bank operations and ensure full integration with all risk management components.

“Julie is a talented member of the SFB team,” Oldenberg said. “She is an experienced leader with a background in both deposit and loan operations, human resources, compliance, and loan audits, which will translate seamlessly to her role as COO.”

Sabelko is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and has completed the Wisconsin Bankers Association Loan Compliance School. Active in the community, Sabelko volunteers as secretary/treasurer of the Junior Achievement of Wisconsin – Durand advisory board.

In addition to her role as director of quality control, Sabelko served as corporate secretary of Security Financial Services Corporation (SFSC), the holding company that owns SFB, acting as a liaison with SFSC shareholders. Sabelko works out of SFB’s Durand office.

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North Shore Bank Awarded Top Workplace Award by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for Tenth Year

North Shore Bank has announced it was named a Top Workplace for 2022 by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This award recognizes the bank as one of the best places to work in the southeast Wisconsin area, and this is the tenth time the bank has been honored with this distinguished acknowledgement.

“We are thrilled to once again be named a Top Workplace in the area,” said Molly Schissler, senior vice president of human resources and compliance for North Shore Bank. “To have received this honor for the tenth year now is incredible, and it’s all thanks to our amazing and dedicated employees who are truly the driving force behind our community bank.”

The Top Workplace list showcases 147 outstanding businesses and is based solely on employee feedback through a third-party survey. Companies are measured on qualities such as company leadership, career opportunities, workplace flexibility, compensation, benefits, and the impact company policies have on innovation and morale.

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