Tag Archive for: Wisconsin Bankers Foundation

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Executive Letter: Empowering Wisconsinites Through Financial Education

By Rose Oswald Poels

Bankers have long been known as advocates for the wellbeing and prosperity of their communities. As the chair of the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF), our Association’s non-profit arm, I am pleased to recognize bankers who continually go above and beyond in their dedication to financial education.

From sharing insight on topics ranging from budgeting to credit in classrooms, shelters, and community centers to taking part in programming such as Teach Children to Save Day, bankers work to ensure their neighbors feel empowered to make informed financial decisions and have the ability to utilize financial services with confidence.

During the Foundation’s 2022–2023 fiscal year, over 24,700 community members in Wisconsin participated in financial education initiatives led by bankers. This outstanding achievement not only leaves a lifelong impact on community members young and old, but also illustrates the ongoing commitment of bankers in our state to promoting financial capability.

This year, the Foundation held its annual breakfast program at FLEX Retail & Marketing Summit (formerly LEAD360) to honor and celebrate the achievements of many banker volunteers. Thank you to the following bankers who continue to devote their time and expertise to expanding the financial literacy and capability of Wisconsinites.

Jen Yager and Paige Hyer of Royal Bank received the Foundation’s most prestigious Excellence in Financial Education Awards. Throughout the year, Jen conducted a remarkable 50 financial education events and was named as the 2022–2023 Financial Literacy Banker of the Year. Paige, who conducted an impressive 36 events, earned the Financial Literacy Banker Award. The Financial Literacy Banker of the Year and Financial Literacy Banker Award are presented to the bankers who participate in the most and second-most financial education-focused events, respectively. It is especially notable that Jen and Paige were new to volunteering in financial education this past year and have already achieved this level of success.

In addition to these awards, Jen and Paige were also recognized with a Certificate of Excellence alongside Katlein Detloff, Ladysmith Federal Savings & Loan Association; Sarah Rogers, Mound City Bank; Jaclyn Rutkowski and Jodi Vande Kolk, National Exchange Bank & Trust; and Jenean Friedl and Ashley Tabbert, Royal Bank. This certificate is presented to individual bankers who report participation in at least 20 financial education-focused events.

The Foundation also recognized 18 banks with the Excellence in Financial Education (Bank) Award for the bank’s organization-wide commitment to financial education and 48 individual bankers with a Certificate of Recognition for participating in between five and 19 presentations during the fiscal year. To see the full list of recipients, please visit wisbankfoundation.org/award-recipients.

WBF is proud to recognize the work of so many individuals and banks each year, and I invite you to continue sharing your financial literacy efforts from June 1, 2023 onward with the Foundation by completing the submission forms available on the Foundation’s website at any time throughout the year.

Furthermore, if your bank — or current employee(s) — has demonstrated an outstanding effort to increase financial literacy, capability, and inclusion among Wisconsin residents, I would encourage you to apply for the 2023 Governor’s Financial Literacy Awards before the deadline of Friday, December 1. These awards, which recognize both individuals and organizations, emphasize innovative, inclusive, and measurable efforts. Many credit unions are recognized for the work they do in this space as they routinely submit applications, and it would be nice to see the good work you all do recognized as well.

Again, thank you to all of the banker volunteers who continue our industry’s long-standing commitment to improving financial literacy and capability; your efforts do not go unnoticed and have lasting impacts throughout our community.

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Executive Letter: Promoting Financial Literacy and Capability in Wisconsin

Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

Across the state, bankers make remarkable efforts every day to assist their neighbors in building a solid financial future. Promoting financial capability is a long-standing tradition throughout the banking industry, and every year, hundreds of WBA members take part in various financial education-related events to bring awareness and useful resources to Wisconsinites of all ages. Although many bankers do not seek accolades for their achievements, there are important reasons for sharing your efforts with WBA.

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) annually collects two summary forms (individual and bank-wide) through which WBA-member banks share their efforts in improving financial literacy and capability throughout Wisconsin. The information gathered through the Foundation’s website is then utilized by WBA and WBF staff to inform our elected officials and members of our communities of the collective efforts put forth by banks in the state. Additionally, the Foundation staff utilizes these forms to recognize those who go above and beyond in their work during an award ceremony held at WBA’s FLEX: Retail & Marketing Summit (formerly known as the LEAD360 Conference) in the fall.

The 2022–2023 WBF Financial Education Summary Forms recognize the achievements of both banks and their individual team members for their financial education presentations and activities from June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023. These activities often include volunteer hours with Junior Achievement, Teach Children to Save presentations, and seminars that assist community members in managing or understanding their personal finances.

Individual bankers who volunteer their time and expertise during a presentation, visit, or other financial literacy-focused event should complete the ‘Individual Summary Form.’ Submissions of this form are compiled to highlight the number of presenters and participants, as well as the financial literacy topics covered, each fiscal year. Based on the number of presentations, bankers may also be selected to receive the Financial Literacy Banker of the Year Award, Financial Literacy Banker Award, or a certificate of excellence or recognition.

The bank-wide form is intended to capture information related to the bank’s financial education initiatives. Based on the level of a bank’s total activity, member banks may earn the Excellence in Financial Education Award, presented at the award ceremony at the FLEX Summit.

The Foundation’s prestigious Financial Education Innovation Award is also awarded to one bank that demonstrates in the summary form a creative, far-reaching financial education initiative or program. A separate ceremony honoring the Financial Education Innovation Award is held during the WBA’s annual Bank Executives Conference in February.

By documenting your bank’s efforts in financial literacy, you are helping our team enhance the story and underscore the value of the banking industry by:

  • spotlighting the outstanding efforts of bankers in Wisconsin to increase the financial literacy and capability of their community members,
  • celebrating financial education and the achievements of hundreds of bankers, and
  • providing insight to Foundation staff on topics, tools, and demographics that can be incorporated into future resources.

Thank you to the bankers who continually commit hours of their time and efforts to improving the financial capability of individuals and communities throughout Wisconsin. The Foundation is pleased to recognize and celebrate the outstanding, and often creative, efforts of the WBA membership. I encourage all members — even those who do not seek recognition — to please submit the two forms located on the Foundation’s website by Monday, July 31.

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Wisconsin Bankers Foundation receiving 2022 Governor's Financial Literacy Award
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Wisconsin Bankers Foundation Honored With Governor’s Financial Literacy Award

Pictured left to right: First Lady Kathy Evers; Ami Myrland, WBF Board member, EVP and CFO of Capitol Bank; Rose Oswald Poels, WBF Board chair, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Bankers Association; Cassandra Krause, WBF executive director, communications manager of the Wisconsin Bankers Association; Governor Tony Evers; David Mancl, director of the Office of Financial Literacy, Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF), the non-profit arm of the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA), was selected as a recipient of the 2022 Governor’s Financial Literacy Award in the legacy category. The award was presented by Governor Tony Evers at the State Capitol on April 21, 2023.

“Financial education gives people the tools they need to achieve their dreams, expand their opportunities, and attain financial security for themselves and their families,” said Gov. Evers. “The dedication of these individuals and organizations to help Wisconsinites become more financially secure and achieve their dreams is commendable and helps ensure not only the future success of individuals and families, but our entire state.”

The legacy award is given to an organization, business, or individual whose purpose and heritage is ingrained in sustained financial literacy and capability efforts. The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation was selected in recognition of its Reading Raises Interest program, which provides kits with books and lesson plans that banker volunteers present in preschool and elementary school classrooms around the state. The kits focus on the fundamentals of money management and are distributed annually in conjunction with Teach Children to Save Day in April.

“We are grateful to Governor Evers for honoring our organization with this award and for emphasizing the importance of financial literacy,” said Cassandra Krause, Wisconsin Bankers Foundation executive director. “It is exciting to see the Reading Raises Interest program continue to reach new students year after year thanks to the collaboration of banker volunteers and educators across the state.”

Recognized in the individual category was Terry Patterson-Taylor of the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation, a WBA Associate Member. In the organizational category, the Wisconsin Coalition on Student Debt (of which the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation is a member) and Ascendium Education Group were recognized. Also in the legacy category was Bank On Greater Milwaukee (of which WBA and many WBA-member banks are partners).

More information on the award and the complete list of 2022 recipients can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions’ website.

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Two UW Students Awarded Agricultural Banking Scholarships

Pictured (left to right) are: Jeff Gruetzmacher, senior vice president and director, Royal Bank; Shania Sake, branch manager, Royal Bank; Cassandra Krause, executive director, Wisconsin Bankers Foundation; Elle Horn, 2022 Agricultural Banking Scholarship recipient; and Dan Ravenscroft, president and CEO, Royal Bank.

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Wisconsin Bankers Association, has awarded UW-Platteville freshman Elle Horn and UW-River Falls junior Colby Von Haden with the 2022 Agricultural Banking Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to two students who are pursuing a career in agricultural finance and who demonstrate in their application a strong understanding of the importance of financial literacy.

Horn is a declared agribusiness major and is currently employed as a teller at Royal Bank in LaValle, Wis. Growing up on her family’s beef and dairy farm, Horn developed a passion for volunteering and educating those in her community on agricultural topics. She now enjoys regularly being involved with Block & Bridle, Future Farmers of America (FFA), and 4-H.

Pictured (left to right) are: Dr. Brenda Boetel, professor and department chair, University of Wisconsin – River Falls; Dr. Dean Olson, associate dean and professor, University of Wisconsin – River Falls; Cathy Asher, ag relationship manager, Security Financial Bank; Colby Von Haden, 2022 Agricultural Banking Scholarship recipient; Cassandra Krause, executive director, Wisconsin Bankers Foundation; Isaac Christenson, ag loan officer/credit analyst, Pillar Bank; and Michael DeLong, vice president – commercial/ag loan officer, Pillar Bank.

Von Haden is a declared agricultural business major expected to graduate in December 2023. He currently serves as the president of UWRF’s Beef Management Team as well as vice president of its Block and Bridle Club. Additionally, Von Haden is an active member of the university’s CAFES Student Advisory Council, Alpha Gamma Rho – Alpha Psi, and the Monroe County Jr. Fair Board. Previously, Von Haden worked as a business analyst intern at Bank First, Tomah.

“The commitment both Elle and Colby demonstrate to the agricultural industry and serving their communities is a fundamental aspect of the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation’s Agricultural Banking Scholarship,” said Foundation Chair Rose Oswald Poels. “I am pleased that we are able to honor Elle and Colby for their achievements with this scholarship and wish them much success in their future agribusiness careers.”

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Daniel Peterson, Lisa Hower, and Rose Oswald Poels with Financial Education Innovation Award
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Wisconsin Bankers Foundation Financial Education Innovation Award Presented to The Stephenson National Bank & Trust

WBF Financial Education Innovation AwardThe Stephenson National Bank & Trust, headquartered in Marinette, Wis., has been selected as the winner of the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation’s prestigious 2022 Financial Education Innovation Award. The award was presented at a special luncheon on February 9, 2023 during the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s Bank Executives Conference in Wisconsin Dells, the largest banking event in Wisconsin. 

“We congratulate the team at The Stephenson National Bank & Trust for finding a creative way to continue their financial education efforts when they couldn’t visit classrooms in person due to the pandemic,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBF Board chair and WBA president and CEO. “Their resources continue to be utilized by teachers and parents and will be accessible for years to come.”   

(Left to right) Daniel Peterson, Lisa Hower, Rose Oswald Poels

The WBF Financial Education Innovation Award recognizes a bank that has taken a unique approach to promoting financial literacy and has exhibited exemplary dedication to expanding financial education in its community. Daniel Peterson, SNBT president and CEO, and Lisa Hower, SNBT financial literacy coordinator and BSA compliance specialist II, accepted the award on behalf of the bank and its financial literacy team. 

The 2022 award recognized an effort to turn an activity that bankers had done in the classroom before the pandemic (for example, in conjunction with the annual Teach Children to Save Day in April) into a game show, “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.” The kid contestants — who were the children of banker volunteers — had a chance to taste both the generic and name brand options, and the host, Penny Saver, showed them just how much they could save in their piggy banks by choosing the lower cost option. The concept for the game show was created by the bank’s financial literacy team and executed by employees in various areas of the bank. The reach of the project extended far beyond the traditional classroom presentations thanks to the creation of web-based resources, outreach to teachers in multiple districts, distribution by employees to their friends and families, and a successful social media campaign.

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Wisconsin Bankers Association logo

questions@wisbank.com

608-441-1200

4721 S Biltmore Ln.
Madison, WI 53718

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