Linda’s journey at BLC started in May 1978, when she stopped in to ask President Tom DeBruin for advice on the Banking and Finance program at Fox Valley Tech. Tom said he could teach her everything she needed to know and offered her a job, which officially started on June 1st.

She began in the bookkeeping department where they filed physical checks alphabetically to send with monthly account statements, comparing each check to a signature card as they were filed. The department also posted all loan payments manually, worked the drive-up window and helped to balance the bank each day on a paper blotter. All checks were run through a proof machine, and each item transacted at the bank was manually keyed in that machine. There were no electronic transactions, everything was a paper check and this was a huge undertaking on social security day! 

From there she progressed to a lobby teller who did it all! She waited on customers, opened accounts, balanced the vault and answered phones. When BLC became large enough to require HMDA reporting, Linda entered into the lending area of the bank. She spent most of her career here as a processor, lender, compliance officer and most recently VP, Chief Risk Officer.

Linda is incredibly grateful for the experiences she’s had with our customers and staff over the past 44 years. Her love and commitment to BLC will be missed and we wish her nothing but the best in her retirement!

In her next chapter, Linda plans to spend more time with her grandchildren and at her cottage on Legend Lake.

Please stop in on December 15th, between 9:00am to 12:00pm to celebrate with Linda and enjoy cookies and refreshments in our lobby!

Thank you Linda, for your years of dedication!