‘Ask and listen’

I am a reformed banker and was doing commercial lending for a community bank in southeast Wisconsin. An old middle school friend was the financial analyst at Guardian Credit Union in Oak Creek, Wis., and he said they were looking for a new commercial loan officer.

A few weeks earlier, the bank’s loan committee turned down a business loan when we could have easily lowered the customer’s interest rate and cleaned up some other outstanding debt. After that, I knew I needed to get out.

When the opportunity presented itself at Guardian Credit Union, I took it. Within a few weeks, I was in charge of the entire business lending department.

Our philosophy is “people helping people.” I have always tried to make this world a better place for my friends, family, and community. Volunteering and helping others were ingrained in me at a young age, as I saw my father volunteer on many nonprofit boards.

 

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