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PNC Bank recently introduced an enhanced program that will award $10,000 scholarships to 12 deserving students attending or planning to attend college across the country.
PNC’s existing, decade-long scholarship program currently awards $2,000 scholarships to 12 students each year. This enhanced program will build on the successes of PNC’s current program and provide students with additional resources to help make their dreams of higher education a reality.
“We’ve seen first-hand how accessing higher education can be life-changing for students,” said Harjas Sidhu, PNC Bank’s head of Personal Lending, Student Lending and FlexPay. “Expanding our scholarship program further underscores our commitment to helping our nation’s future leaders access the necessary resources they need to reach their higher education goals.”
Aligning with the academic year, the program offers scholarships in two application periods: from June 1, 2024, to Nov. 30, 2024, and Dec. 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025. Students who apply for the first registration cycle but don’t win a scholarship, will remain in the running for the next application cycle ending May 31, 2025.
Students can access the scholarship rules, check school eligibility and enter here.
Mark Oldenberg, president and CEO of Security Financial Bank (SFB), is pleased to announce that 10 area recent high school graduates each have been awarded a $500 scholarship to be used to further their education.
Recipients include:
• Katelyn Bignell, a graduate of Durand-Arkansaw High School, will attend Winona State University.
• Ashley Chilson, a graduate of Regis High School, will attend Ava Maria University.
• Mazalyn Day, a graduate of Bloomer High School, will attend the University of Minnesota–Duluth.
• Nicholas Dutton, a graduate of Black River Falls will attend the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
• Emma Lechleitner, a graduate of Lake Holcombe High School, will attend North Dakota State University.
• Olivia Price, a graduate of Bloomer High School, will attend Grand Canyon University.
• Levi Suckow, a graduate of Durand-Arkansaw High School, will attend the University of Arizona.
• Nicholas Szczech, a graduate of Stanley-Boyd High School, will attend the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.
• Matthew Woelfer, a graduate of Ladysmith High School, will attend the University of Wisconsin–Stout.
• Kaleb Wyss, a graduate of Lincoln High School, will attend the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.
Recipients are chosen based on involvement in school, youth organizations, and community events with particular preference given to students pursuing a career in finance, accounting, or business administration.
By Rose Oswald Poels
Every October, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) Board of Directors meets for a planning session that always involves extensive discussions about where the industry is heading and the strategic positioning of WBA to maintain its role as a robust resource for our members. WBA staff update our progress on the plan prior to every Board meeting to ensure our strategic priorities remain at the forefront of work done by both the staff and Board.
This past year, we hired Wipfli as our facilitator and Robert Zondag (and his team) helped us revise and refocus our current strategic priorities to take us through the next few years. While some of the concepts were carried over from our current plan, the priorities are more focused to help ensure WBA continues providing value to the ever-evolving banking industry.
WBA’s revised plan is as follows:
Be THE leading state banking association through:
- MEMBER ENGAGEMENT → Improve engagement across all forms of membership
- PEOPLE → Build a culture to grow and retain talent
- EDUCATION → Be the solution for banking education and professional development
- ADVOCACY → Be the unified voice for Wisconsin Bankers
- INFRASTRUCTURE → Create a dynamic data infrastructure to best serve our members
Given the rapidly evolving landscape of the financial institution industry, for WBA to continue to be successful, it is imperative that we foster increased member engagement. The successes highlighted in various ‘Executive Letter’ e-publications throughout 2023 illustrate that a more connected and engaged membership only enhances the collective strength of WBA. Staff will work to grow active participation from all member banks, and all levels of bankers, which will help us better target our advocacy efforts, education programs, products, and services to better meet your needs.
WBA has long been an association comprised of top-quality talent and that continues across the organization today. Just like your banks, it is our staff who are essential for the long-term success of your Association. The Board agreed that this priority should be clearly identified in our plan, and we are finalizing various tactics to make sure WBA offers a positive and nurturing work environment not only to attract top talent, but also to encourage staff to stay and invest their skills and dedication into the meaningful work we do on behalf of Wisconsin’s banking industry.
Along with an internal focus on our talent, WBA is always focused on the industry’s talent as well. The professional development opportunities offered by WBA’s education programs are second to none. Our members provide input into the development of our programs, and we will continue to improve our content with a focus on fostering leadership skills, and addressing the evolving knowledge and skill set needs of the bankers of tomorrow.
Advocacy on behalf of our members remains a top priority. Our pinnacle achievement of an unprecedented state income tax exemption for certain loans would not have occurred without the continued membership of banks located in Wisconsin which provides us resources, and the collective grassroots and political involvement of bankers over the years. This combination needs to continue well into the future for WBA to remain a strong voice for the industry.
Finally, like many of you, WBA needs to continue our digital transformation and adoption of innovative technologies to become more operationally efficient while providing a better experience for you as individual banker members.
These five strategic priorities build upon the strength of our Association’s more than 130-year history by taking an innovative approach that will keep WBA at the forefront well into the future. The WBA Staff and Board look forward to continuing to collaborate with the membership to ensure that our Association is your premiere partner in ensuring the success of your bank, our industry, and the communities we serve.
By Rose Oswald Poels
For many of us, the beginning of autumn marks back to school. While hundreds of bankers across the state prepare for new professional development opportunities, many of our future colleagues and leaders are as well.
As bankers are well aware, a shrinking talent pool threatens the long-term viability and competitiveness of our industry. Led by Chair Donna Hoppenjan, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) is encouraging the membership to consider the ways in which we each can engage — or “inspire” — the next generation to consider a career in banking. It is vital that bankers today are proactive in ensuring our industry’s future success by connecting with students and demonstrating the opportunities available to them.
With talent recruitment at the top of mind for many banks, the Association will once again be hosting several “career night” presentations in the coming months. With the goal of closing the gap between students and banking professionals, these upcoming events are open to students interested in learning more about the industry, what careers are available to them, and why the banking industry might be a good fit for them. Starting this fall, and throughout the academic school year, career nights will take place at Marquette University, UW–Eau Claire, UW–Green Bay, UW–La Crosse, UW–Madison, and UW–Whitewater, with the possibility of more locations being added.
If you, or someone from your bank, are interested in partnering with the Association to serve as a panelist at one of these upcoming events, please contact our team.
In addition to directly connecting with students during a career fair or panel presentation, bankers are also encouraged to share opportunities to further students’ experiences and engagement with the banking industry. Internships are a great example of this, and WBA members may post internship job ads at no cost in our Banker’s Marketplace.
Additionally, sharing the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation’s (WBF) fourth annual Agricultural Banking Scholarship opportunity widely among your networks is an easy way to invest in the students who are interested in a banking career and driving our agricultural sector. The application period is open through November 15, 2023, for students currently enrolled at an accredited Wisconsin college, university, or technical college who are pursuing a career related to agribusiness. Two scholarships of $1,500 each are available.
Like our members, WBA is dedicated to ensuring a bright future for the industry. With your help, we can demonstrate the diverse and rewarding career paths available within the banking sector, foster relationships with students eager to explore these opportunities, and provide the necessary support for them to thrive in our industry.
By Rose Oswald Poels
As part of the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s (WBA) mission to support bankers across the state, our team — often in collaboration with the membership — regularly creates resources to assist WBA-member bankers in expanding their knowledge and expertise. Recently, WBA launched several valuable compliance resources that your staff will find useful in maneuvering the ever-changing banking compliance landscape. Our objective with these services is to continue to make training accessible and more flexible for all WBA members at a reasonable cost.
I am excited to announce our new WBA Legal In-House Compliance Training resource. Member banks are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to bring compliance training by the WBA Legal team directly to your bank. The training may be conducted in-person or as a virtual meeting and will be customized to your bank’s needs. All training will be conducted by WBA Legal; the presenter selected is dependent on the topic and timing of the training.
Additionally, I am excited to share that the new WBA Account Titling Video Series is now available. This series is designed for your bank to use as a new employee onboarding tool or a refresher for frontline retail staff. The series is built upon WBA’s longstanding and popular, comprehensive account titling workshop and is meant to help frontline staff develop an awareness of the laws related to account titling, analyze a variety of deposit account ownerships and fiduciary roles of deposit account relationships, recognize the legal and practical importance of an account title, and identify various documents which make up a deposit contract and understand their significances.
The new series provides information about account titling in short, topic-specific videos. Each video is supported by written materials. When utilizing the videos as training, there are also exercises to illustrate concepts shared within the videos. Managers are encouraged to supplement the information in the series with bank-specific policies, procedures, and operational requirements, so frontline staff know of any additional actions bank management expects frontline staff to execute.
The new resource consists of 11 modules, covering 60 topics with over five hours of video material! Each video ranges between two and 10 minutes in length — making training very flexible. Also included are manager/trainer resources such as a viewing sequence listing, tracking resource, examples, and test questions with an answer key.
As our legal team has provided for decades, new materials and resources are routinely added to the WBA Compliance page on the WBA website, so I encourage your compliance team to monitor this site and our e-publications for updates. The newest release is a Lender’s Guide to the Marital Property Act. The guide answers frequently asked questions lenders have regarding the Act and is just one of several other available guides for members. Other such resources include a Banker’s Guide to LLCs and a Transfer by Affidavit Guide.
Finally, many other resources created by bankers serving on various WBA Sections and Committees may be found in the WBA Best Practices Library on our website. The Best Practices Library is password protected. If you do not have the password, please reach out to WBA Legal.
WBA strives to provide comprehensive compliance resources for its members. If you have requests for new content or other materials, please let me know and we will incorporate all feedback into our new product development process.
By Rose Oswald Poels
Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) began its 2023–2024 fiscal year. A ceremony, held on June 7, formally installed Mound City Bank President and CEO Donna Hoppenjan as WBA’s chair of the Board, welcomed several new Board officers, and thanked those members who ended their term in 2023 for their valuable contributions to the Association.
Donna was able to sit down with me for a short conversation to introduce herself to the membership and highlight the goals she has for the organization for the upcoming year.
Donna first started her career in banking in 1977 as a teller at Mound City Bank in Platteville. After gaining experience in several areas of the bank — including human resources, audit, and trust — she was promoted to her current role as president and CEO in 2013.
As chair of the WBA Board of Directors, Donna encourages members to be an inspiration to their peers, to their community members, and on behalf of the banking industry in the upcoming fiscal year. As members continue to invest in the future of our industry, bankers throughout the state are encouraged to utilize WBA programs, resources, and events to not only gain expertise themselves, but also to inspire others in their organizations to do the same.
Through the Association’s various education opportunities — including in-person schools, conferences, and summits — bankers can develop their skills and network with their banking peers. WBA also offers a host of peer groups to connect with others, share ideas, and help one another grow in their careers; volunteer opportunities that inform WBA staff and elected officials; and resources — such as the Best Practices Library — that are created by bankers, for bankers.
Not only does the Association provide opportunities for bank leaders to encourage growth within their organization and train the next generation of banking leaders, programming presented by the WBA also extends beyond the walls of both member banks and the Association to benefit our entire industry.
Career night presentations and Power of Community Week are just a few examples of the ways in which WBA encourages bankers to be inspirations throughout their local communities. As Donna mentioned in her address to the Board, it is vital for the continued success of our industry that each of us also takes an active role in demonstrating the opportunities provided by a career in banking to students of all ages.
Whether you and your team choose to engage by volunteering as an Advocacy Officer, furthering your knowledge in a WBA Connect peer group, or working alongside students to expand their financial capabilities, our Association is excited to work alongside each of you to inspire our future.
To learn more about WBA Board Chair Donna Hoppenjan and her goals for the upcoming fiscal year, please enjoy watching the video and keep an eye out for a detailed article in WBA’s upcoming July/August Wisconsin Banker.
Connect with peers, expand your compliance knowledge
As the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) enters the 2023–2024 fiscal year, do not forget to renew or join the membership of the WBA Compliance Forum. Whether you are looking for more opportunities to connect with your compliance peers or would like to gain CLE and other compliance certifications*, WBA’s annual Compliance Forum membership provides various opportunities to expand your network and further develop your understanding of state-specific and national compliance matters.
The registration fee includes attendance of all three forums for two individuals from each bank. Additionally, these two primary members will also gain access to the highly active WBA Compliance Forum Google group. All Wisconsin bank compliance professionals and bank legal counsel are encouraged to attend each of the sessions to gain in-depth information on key compliance issues. Any additional bank staff can be registered by the bank’s primary contacts for an additional fee.
“WBA’s Compliance Forum is the place to get updates on recent trends, hear from experts on emerging topics, and connect with other compliance professionals,” says Scott Birrenkott, WBA director – legal and session speaker. “Each session provides great networking opportunities and the ability to share experiences.”
WBA’s Compliance Forum is WBA’s premier Wisconsin-specific program focused on presenting updates and addressing the latest hot topics in compliance. The first session, to be held on June 20 at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Stevens Point, will include discussions on areas such as the Section 1071 final rule and related implementation action plans, as well as how to respond when a vendor gets hacked.
“As a subject matter, banking compliance is unique in that it manages to be simultaneously vast, yet also nuanced. It can be tough to sift through, which is why opportunities to meet, stay abreast of trends, and discuss with peers are so valuable,” adds Birrenkott.
Those interested in joining a passionate group of compliance bankers or renewing their membership for WBA’s 2023–2024 Compliance Forum should visit wisbank.com/2023forum. Questions regarding membership opportunities or upcoming Compliance Forum sessions can be directed to Anna Lorang, WBA education and event coordinator.
*Submission of education program material to the Board of Bar Examiners does not guarantee CLE credit will be granted. Bankers with the CCBCO designation can self-submit this program for credit using the agenda provided at the forum.
WBA offering numerous opportunities to get involved this spring
By Daryll Lund
As the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) quickly approaches the final months of its 2022–2023 fiscal year, I am reminded of the inauguration of Dan Peterson, president and CEO of Marinette’s The Stephenson National Bank & Trust, as our Association’s chair. With an objective to increase membership engagement in the year ahead, it is extremely rewarding to look back upon all our Association has done together since June 2022.
Enhancing member engagement as part of the WBA strategic plan is focused on increasing banker participation in WBA training events including the utilization of the Engagement Center located at the WBA headquarters in Madison, the WBA Legal Call program, WBA fundraising efforts including the Gold Triangle and Bankers Involved in Grassroots and Government (BIGG) awards, as well as utilization of other Association and subsidiary services.
As we approach the final stretch of the 2022–2023 fiscal year, I am certain that bankers will find even more ways to engage with WBA.
This spring, WBA kicks off its busy season with various professional conferences and schools aimed at providing WBA members with the knowledge, resources, and connections to continue their success. Ranging from CFOs to HR and IT professionals and all the way to the frontline staff — our Association prides itself on the breadth of opportunities in store for every member of the bank.
In addition, bankers looking to make a mark on their communities and industry will be out at full strength assisting the
WBA in keeping our elected leaders informed at this spring’s advocacy events — including WBA Capitol Day on April 26 and two upcoming Washington, D.C. trips — as well as participating in activities related to Community Banking Month, Financial Literacy Month, the annual Power of Community Week, and National Teach Children to Save Day.
Of course, new chances to engage are always on the horizon with WBA. Whether you’re looking to volunteer as a committee member or help fundraise to shape public opinion on pro-banking, probusiness issues, it is up to you to choose how you will make the most of your membership, inspire professional development, educate your peers and community members, and engage with the Association!
By Rose Oswald Poels
Last week, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) was pleased to welcome over 500 attendees to our annual Bank Executives Conference. In addition to the many opportunities to gain insight from speakers and network among peers, attendees experienced WBA’s first FinTech Showcase.
The hour-long session, held in conjunction with the conference, was an overwhelming success, and many bankers left the event inspired for the future of their business. As our industry continues to evolve and technology grows increasingly important in the daily operations of banks, the Association is pleased to announce that this April 17, we will host our first full-day FinTech Showcase Event!
In an effort to demonstrate the power of FinTech and assist bankers in staying up to date on technology solutions related to the industry, the day-long event will feature two keynote presenters and eight FinTech vendors. Providers will demonstrate their solutions live in 20-minute intervals, and attendees will have the chance to ask questions and network in the Showcase Hall.
I encourage Wisconsin bankers to utilize this opportunity to develop relationships and explore the ways in which their organization can benefit from new efficiencies and solutions. Registration for this inaugural event is now open at wisbank.com/FinTech.
In addition to this new event, WBA has also partnered with the Arizona and Colorado Bankers Associations and CCG Catalyst Consulting, an Associate Member, to create the Bankers FinTech Council. The Council, initiated to help develop new opportunities for financial institutions and selected FinTechs to connect with each other, launched last year.
WBA members will not only enjoy this opportunity to connect with their banking peers from a variety of banks across the state and country, but bankers will also learn of new and emerging FinTech companies looking to connect with the banking industry. The goal of the Council is to meet three or four times a year at different locations with one likely being held in Wisconsin in August.
For those interested in developing strategic partnerships with FinTech providers, or for those simply interested in learning more about the types of technology products available to the banking industry, both the WBA FinTech Showcase in April and the Bankers FinTech Council will help WBA-member banks form the connections and see for themselves how new technological efficiencies will help banks remain competitive.
