WBF Financial Education Innovation Award Presented to Bank Five Nine

Wisconsin Bankers Foundation Recognizes Multimedia Financial Education Initiatives

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) presented its prestigious 2021 Financial Education Innovation Award to Bank Five Nine. The award ceremony was held on Thursday, February 10 in Wisconsin Dells during a special luncheon at the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s (WBA) Bank Executives Conference, the largest banking event in Wisconsin. Mark W. Mohr, president and CEO of Bank Five Nine, accepted the award for the bank’s multimedia financial education initiatives. 

“Bank Five Nine’s financial education efforts are truly unique and equip consumers with tools to improve their financial wellbeing,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBF Board chair and WBA president and CEO. “The program uses different mediums to provide answers to financial questions many people have but may be too afraid to ask.”  

Bank Five Nine’s omnichannel approach weaves together a weekly, local radio show and podcast with corresponding blog posts and Pinterest pins. Jeff McCarthy, marketing director at Bank Five Nine, and Becky Miller, marketing manager at Bank Five Nine, co-host a Sunday morning radio show called That’s So Money on AM-1130 WISN. The first two segments of the show are dedicated to educating listeners on topics including: Senior Discounts and Savings, Ways to Financially Prepare to Leave Your Job, Women and Finances, Money Matters to Discuss Before Marriage, How to Freeze Your Credit, and Everything You Need to File Your Taxes. The second half of the show features a guest from a local small business or non-profit organization who wishes to tell their story and talk to the show’s listeners about their products or mission.  

After the radio show airs, the segments are produced into separate podcasts, which are housed on the iHeart Media website. Many of the topics discussed on the radio show/podcast are turned into blog posts housed on the Bank Five Nine website. More than 90 blog posts are available and are organized in six categories: All Things Community, Everyday Money, Family Matters, Let’s Get Down to Business, Living Quarters, and Recipes for Success.  

Blog topics and podcasts are featured regularly on social media through Bank Five Nine’s Pinterest account. Pinterest is a highly visual site on which users can browse pieces of information and “pin” them to refer back to later.  

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation is pleased to recognize Bank Five Nine for these initiatives, which provide important financial education and demonstrate the role of banks as trusted partners in consumers’ financial success.