Bank of Sun Prairie Named 2024 WBF Financial Education Innovation Award Winner

Wisconsin Bankers Foundation Recognizes Initiative of Bank of Sun Prairie and St. Vincent de Paul 

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) is pleased to announce that Bank of Sun Prairie has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Financial Education Innovation Award. The award was presented on February 6, 2025, at the largest banking industry event in the state, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) Bank Executives Conference, in Milwaukee.

“It is important to raise awareness that when unexpected expenses hit, banks offer much better alternatives to high-interest payday loans,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBF chair and WBA president and CEO. “Bank of Sun Prairie’s partnership with St. Vincent de Paul is an outstanding program that connects people who are experiencing financial hardship with resources to get them back on solid financial footing.”

Bank of Sun Prairie has created a unique partnership with St. Vincent de Paul in Madison to provide microloans of around $500–$2,500. The program not only helps borrowers avoid costly payday or title loans, it also comes with financial literacy support. Participants are coached each month to help them find ways to make the minimum payment. One recipient, Terri, was able to pay off her car title loan and secure a low-interest loan with the bank. Terri’s monthly payment dropped from $437/month at 305% interest to $74/month at 5% interest, and she could afford to stay in her new apartment rather than become unhoused. The program also connects people with the bank’s Fresh Start Checking Accounts, which can help those who have had challenges with using and keeping a checking account in the past to move forward.

The WBF Financial Education Innovation Award is a prestigious category of the WBF Excellence in Financial Education Awards. Submissions for the 2024 WBF Excellence in Financial Education Awards encompassed over 900 financial education presentations — including Teach Children to Save Day presentations, homeownership workshops, and elder financial abuse prevention seminars, among other initiatives — given by more than 400 Wisconsin bank employees, reaching approximately 30,000 Wisconsin community members.

Capitol Bank: Ken Thompson Honored as 2024 Wisconsin Banker of the Year

Capitol Bank is delighted to announce that Executive Chairman of the Board Ken Thompson has been named the 2024 Wisconsin Banker’s Association Banker of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication to advancing the banking profession and supporting the communities served by banks. Recipients are individuals who have demonstrated significant contributions to their institutions, fostered growth, and resilience in their organizations, and upheld the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. The award also highlights the recipient’s commitment to community involvement, their role in driving economic development, philanthropic efforts, and fostering financial literacy.

“Ken Thompson is a true community banker at heart”, said Justin Hart, CEO of Capitol Bank. “He has played an instrumental leadership role in the business growth and expansion of the Bank’s footprint. In his 29 years at Capitol Bank, he has worked tirelessly to develop relationships and bring in new customers to grow the Bank.”

“Ken’s unwavering commitment to the banking industry, coupled with his extensive non-profit involvement in the greater Madison area, make him an exemplary recipient of this award”, said Ami Myrland, President and CFO of Capitol Bank. “His contributions through the WBA and his tireless work in the community have significantly impacted local businesses, enhanced economic growth, and strengthened the financial wellness of his fellow Wisconsinites.”

Ken was honored at the 2025 WBA Executive Conference on February 6, 2025, in Milwaukee.

About Capitol Bank: Capitol Bank, locally owned and operated, is committed to serving the communities in which we live, work, and do business. We are proud of the partnerships we have established with organizations, businesses, and individuals in the Greater Madison area. Our philosophy of community support is demonstrated at the corporate level, as well as in the time and energy our employees devote to our community each year. Capitol Bank is Member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.

Summit Credit Union Named to Newsweek’s America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2025

Media Contact:
Mary Fanning-Penny
Vice President Communications
(608) 243-5000 ext. 9662
publicrelations@summitcreditunion.com

Summit Credit Union Named to Newsweek’s America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions 2025 

Madison, Wisc. – Summit Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative, announced today that it is recognized, for the second consecutive year, as one of America’s Best Credit Unions 2025 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group. America’s Best honor is awarded to financial institutions that have demonstrated financial health, operational performance, and metrics pointing toward long-term stability. 

“We are incredibly proud to be recognized as one of the best credit unions in the country,” said Summit Credit Union CEO & President Kim Sponem. “We are particularly dedicated to helping women and their families secure a strong future through a dedicated team delivering proven financial wellness techniques, value and earning our members’ trust.”

Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group recognized top regional banks and credit unions in the United States, by conducting a large-scale study based on the analysis of over 9,000 institutions, more than 70,000 customer surveys and millions of social media reviews.

“Regional banks and credit unions are the financial backbone of communities nationwide as they support small businesses, fund local projects and ensure easy access to essential banking services. Newsweek and market-data research firm Plant-A Insights are proud to introduce ‘America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions 2025,’ highlighting companies utilizing a community and customer-centric approach to make a big financial impact in their neighborhoods,” said Newsweek Global Editor in Chief Nancy Cooper. 

For more information, visit SummitCreditUnion.com or call 608-243-5000 or 800-236-5560.  

About Summit Credit Union  

Established in 1935, Summit Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative. Summit holds $7.7billion in assets and has more than 265,860 members and 952 employees across 58 locations throughout Wisconsin. Since 2002, Kim Sponem has been CEO & President of Summit Credit Union, formerly known as CUNA Credit Union/Great Wisconsin Credit Union. 

In 2024, Summit was recognized for continued excellence in employee engagement as a Top Workplace USA by USA Today for the fourth consecutive year and a Top Workplace in the Madison area by the Wisconsin State Journal the fifth year in a row. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel named Summit a Top Workplace in Milwaukee in both 2023 and 2024. Additionally, and representative of its focus on financial education, Summit received the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award in 2010, 2014, and 2016 and the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award – Legacy in 2019.   

For additional media information, visit summitcreditunion.com/about-summit/press-room or follow Summit on Facebook and Instagram.

Pellitteri Waste Systems Ranks 31st on Largest Haulers List

FMI:
Joleen Engeseth
Marketing Coordinator
608-257-6232 ext. 346
Joleene@pellitteri.com

Pellitteri Waste Systems Ranks 31st on Largest Haulers List

DANE COUNTY, Wis. (Jan. 7, 2025) — Pellitteri Waste System, Inc. — Southern Wisconsin’s leading independent, family-owned and operated waste and recycling service provider — ranks 31st on Waste Today’s list of largest haulers, which is based on companies’ 2023 revenues. 

Waste Today notes the waste industry continued its strong performance in 2023 thanks to an active mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market as interest in sustainability continues to grow. 

“We’re proud of our ranking, which is a testament to our ability to compete with larger haulers by providing high-quality customer service,” says President David Pellitteri. “We continually hear that our customer service is what sets us apart. We salute our employees for delivering on that tradition of service, which has been central to our company since its founding more than 40 years ago.” 

The editors of Waste Today compiled the list by combing through public records, surveying companies in the publication’s database and soliciting feedback via the publication’s website and e-newsletter. 

Haulers making it in the top 12 include WM, Republic Services and GFL Environmental. These companies operate in more than half the states in the United States, plus Canada.

The only other Wisconsin-based company to make the Top 50 list at No. 37 is Eagle Disposal Inc. in Franksville, Wisc., which serves the Milwaukee area. 

The last time the list was published in 2021, Pellitteri Waste Systems ranked No. 30.  View the Waste Today article for the full list.

About Pellitteri Waste Systems

Pellitteri Waste Systems provides waste and recycling collection, specialty recycling services, on-site confidential data destruction, and state-of-the-art single-stream recycling processing to commercial, industrial, and residential customers throughout Southern Wisconsin. It is a family-owned company based in Madison with a proud tradition of service and community involvement. Pellitteri services around 80,000 households. The company sorted over 163 million pounds of mixed recycling at their local Material Recovery Facility, recycled over 28 million pounds of specialty recyclables from manufacturers and industrial customers, hauled over 11 million pounds of construction materials to be recycled, and shredded and recycled over 3 million pounds of confidential data in 2023. Pellitteri received the following awards in recent years: the Recycling Excellence Award from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from the Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin, and the Business Friend of the Environment Award from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. For more information, visit www.pellitteri.com.

Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm: Will Pemberton Recognized as 2025 AV Preeminent Attorney

Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm proudly announces that its CEO, Will Pemberton, has been awarded the distinguished AV Preeminent® rating for 2025. This prestigious honor is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards, reflecting Attorney Pemberton’s unwavering commitment to excellence in personal injury law.

The AV Preeminent® designation, facilitated by Martindale-Hubbell®, is a time-honored recognition that identifies attorneys who have achieved exceptional peer reviews in their field. Since its inception more than a century ago, Martindale-Hubbell® has established itself as the gold standard for rating legal professionals, helping clients and colleagues make informed decisions about legal representation.

This honor underscores our CEO’s dedication to securing justice for his clients and highlights the respect he has garnered from his peers in the legal community. As the leader of Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm, Attorney Pemberton has consistently championed the rights of injured individuals across Wisconsin, building a legacy of integrity, advocacy, and results.

“The AV Preeminent Attorney designation is of particular importance to me,” said Attorney Pemberton. “Few things are as significant to a lawyer than gaining their peers’ respect and recognition. I’m honored to have been named.”

About Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm
Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm, located in Madison, Wisconsin, focuses exclusively on personal injury cases, helping statewide clients navigate the complexities of legal claims with care and expertise. The firm has earned a reputation for its client-centered approach and relentless pursuit of justice, a philosophy embodied by Attorney Pemberton’s leadership.

This latest accolade reinforces the firm’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of legal practice and providing exceptional service to the people of Wisconsin.