Oak Bank Celebrates 25 Years of Growing Dane County

A Quarter-Century of Local Commitment, Trusted Relationships, and Community Impact

Madison, WI — In a financial world defined by automation and consolidation, Oak Bank in Fitchburg is proudly celebrating 25 years of doing business differently—by staying personal, local, and deeply connected to the Dane County community.

Since opening in 2000, Oak Bank has chosen to grow not by adding branches, but by building relationships. With a single location in Fitchburg, the bank has become a trusted financial partner for hundreds of local businesses and families—proving that success doesn’t require scale, but sincerity.

“It’s really not about the number of branches,” says executive chairman and founder Bob Gorsuch. “It’s about the people who stick around, develop strong relationships, and get involved in their communities.”

That belief has guided Oak Bank’s approach for 25 years. While many banks expanded regionally or merged into larger corporations, Oak Bank stayed rooted in Dane County. The result: a half-a-billion-dollar institution built on trust, accessibility, and personalized service.

“When you call us, you talk to a real person—someone who knows your name and your business,” says Oak Bank President & CEO Terry Taylor. “That’s not a tagline—it’s our culture. Oak Bank is powered by people who live here, care about this community, and show up for it every day. That’s what makes us different, and it’s what makes this 25-year milestone so meaningful.”

Oak Bank’s mission goes well beyond banking. Its team members are actively involved in local nonprofits, schools, libraries, and neighborhood initiatives. From sponsoring park programs to volunteering in community events, Oak Bank doesn’t just serve the area—it strengthens it.

“When we started, we saw so much potential in Fitchburg,” Gorsuch reflects. “We wanted to serve that area with a unique focus on relationships and problem-solving. And once we proved that model, we were able to serve clients throughout Dane County and beyond, with just one branch.”

Today, Oak Bank is a proud cornerstone of Dane County’s business community—a steady partner through change, a supporter of local growth, and a reflection of what’s possible when you put people first.

Stop by their lobby on August 14th for a sweet treat to celebrate their milestone and see for yourself.

About Oak Bank
Founded in 2000 and located in Fitchburg, Oak Bank is a full-service community bank serving individuals and businesses throughout Dane County. With a people-first philosophy and a commitment to personalized, relationship-based banking, Oak Bank has built a legacy of trust, integrity, and impact over 25 years. Visit www.oak.bank to learn more.

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MMSD Awarded State Grants to Support Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Programming and Student Mental Health

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has been awarded a two-year grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to expand MMSD’s alcohol and drug abuse prevention programming. The grant provides $50,000 for the 2025–26 school year, with an additional $50,000 renewal approved for 2026–27.

The funding, part of DPI’s Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) program, will be used to hire a limited-term employee (LTE) to deliver targeted prevention and intervention services across MMSD schools. The grant also supports the implementation of education and wellness programming that helps students build healthy decision-making skills, while addressing underlying risk factors.

“AODA prevention education helps students understand not just the risks, but how to make informed, healthy decisions,” said Leia Esser, MMSD’s executive director of student and staff supports. “This grant enables us to reach more students, earlier, with support that’s rooted in care, not punishment.”

The DPI AODA program is designed to help school districts address substance use through education, early intervention and family engagement. MMSD’s approach emphasizes equity, trauma-informed practices and collaboration among educators, students and families.

“This work is about prevention, connection and support,” Esser added. “By embedding these lessons into the school day and providing dedicated staff, we’re giving students the tools they need to navigate real-life challenges, not only now but in the future as well.”

MMSD was also awarded an additional $9,500 through DPI’s School-Based Mental Health Professionals grant, which it has used since 2021 to support its recruitment and professional development efforts for school counselors, social workers and psychologists. With a total of $114,500 awarded—including this final $9,500 that closes out the current funding cycle—this grant allows MMSD to maintain its commitment to onboarding, developing and sustaining a representative and equity-centered team of support providers. 

To learn more about MMSD’s approach to mental health and well-being, please visit the district’s website. 

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About the Madison Metropolitan School District: The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.

It’s a Wrap! Read(y) to Wear 2025 A Major Fundraising Success

Madison Reading Project’s recent Read(y) to Wear fundraiser, which supports local literacy, was the most successful one yet!

More than 420 attendees joined Madison Reading Project June 11 in celebrating an evening of Legends and Fairytales featuring 13 one-of-a-kind wearable paper fashions. Eleven design teams competed for the crown. And the winners are…

The top prize went to Phenomenal Woman, designed by Suzanne Sawyer. Her outfit was a collaboration between clothing brand Ashro and UMOJA Magazine of Madison.

Enchanted Forest, created by returning designer Laura Musecamp, came in second place, followed by ⁠Paper Dolls, designed by returning designer Pam Kilian.

“What an incredible evening,” exclaimed Stephanie Grenzer, community giving manager, Summit Credit Union. “From the moment you walked in, the energy was high, the venue was beautiful, the attendees were excited, and the designers and models did a phenomenal job. It was so great to see the community come together and support Madison Reading Project.”

Summit Credit Union was this year’s marquee sponsor, joining dozens of other local organizations supporting the annual event.

“We’ll soon announce the date for next year’s Read(y) to Wear, the state’s most memorable, one-of-a-kind fundraising event,” says Rowan Childs, Madison Reading Project founder/co-executive director. “The event continues to grow and bring in creatives from across the area to take the design challenge, and most importantly, funds raised will allow us to continue to provide another 130,000 free, high-quality books to kids and educators in the Dane County area in the coming year.”

Photos, below, by Crimson Sun Photography.

Dupaco’s 21-day Sprint to Savings Challenge wraps-up with big wins and bigger habits

Dubuque, Iowa — Over the course of 21 days, participants in Dupaco Credit Union’s Sprint-to-Savings challenge took meaningful steps toward improving their financial well-being. The challenge, which ran from June 2 to June 22, encouraged individuals to build stronger savings habits through small, consistent actions—and the results speak for themselves!   

Sprinters engaged in a variety of hands-on activities, including creating budgets, tracking spending, identifying and plugging leaks and taking part in “No-Spend Saturdays”. These simple, yet powerful strategies helped participants move closer to the financial goals that matter most to them. 

The randomly selected winners of the challenge’s weekly and grand-prize drawings are:

• Week 1-$50 Winner: Kellie Cook
• Week 2-$50 Winner: Jessica Ambrosy
• Week 3-$50 Winner: Mika McCool
• Grand Prize-$500 Winner: Lisa Klees

Participants set a wide range of savings goals—from vacations and emergency funds to paying off debt, college expenses, weddings, new vehicles and even a headstone. Along the way, they discovered meaningful ways to cut costs and rethink spending.

When asked what change made the biggest impact, many cited meal planning and sticking to a grocery list as key strategies. Others became more mindful of impulse purchases, using tactics like leaving items in online shopping carts for a few days before deciding to buy. One participant shared that by reviewing their subscriptions, they’ll save $720 over the rest of the year!

A fan favorite was thoughtful participation in the No-Spend Saturday challenge, which many participants found both fun and transformative. One sprinter said, “I really enjoyed implementing a No-Spend Saturday. Weekends are usually when we tend to spend the most, so turning it into a fun family challenge to avoid spending was both rewarding and effective!” 

Another sprinter who implemented No-Spend Saturday commented, “Weekends are when I do most of my shopping. I followed it (No-Spend Saturday)! I made a picnic as my way of getting out of the house, cleaned the house that night instead of going out. Cooked a nice home-cooked meal out of what I had in the cupboard instead of doing my weekly out-to-eat day! It definitely changed the pace of my normal schedule.”

“Over the last three weeks, sprinters showed up, took action and made meaningful progress towards their savings goal,” said Tara McDermott, Senior Marketing Communication Specialist at Dupaco. “Our sprinters should celebrate their success. Building your savings takes dedication. We all need those reminders that building your savings is a marathon, not a sprint. The participants of this challenge are off to a strong start to keep their savings momentum going.”

For more information about the challenge, visit dupaco.com/sprint-to-savings-challenge.

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ABOUT DUPACO COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION 

Dupaco Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. It is dedicated to the financial well-being of its members, and specializes in personalized financial counseling, money advice and education. It offers savings, loans, investments, insurance and wealth management products for individuals and businesses. Dupaco serves residents in 118 counties throughout Iowa, northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin. Founded in 1948 by ten Dubuque Packing Company employees, membership has grown to more than 174,000 with assets exceeding $3.6 billion. It has over 600 employees and 23 branch office locations. It is a Forbes Best-in-State Credit Union, Forbes America’s Best Small Employer, and a Des Moines Register Top Workplace. Learn more at www.dupaco.com.

The Center Reaches $31M Historic Capital Campaign Goal Fueled by Your Support

On this eve of Juneteenth, as the nation reflects on the freedom and collective strength and brilliance of the Black community, we are elated to share that with your support, we have done what many thought was impossible. Together, we’ve achieved our goal of raising $31 million to make a debt-free Center a reality!

We’ll be releasing this exciting news tomorrow, on Juneteenth, but we wanted to share our big announcement with you first, our major supporters who have played an invaluable role in the vitality and success of The Center’s capital raise. We would not be here without you, and we express our heartfelt gratitude for believing in us!

This enormous achievement was fueled by early donations of 300-plus Black community members and their honorees that inspired a region-wide coalition of over 1,200 individuals, families, companies and foundations to support The Center.

We are so grateful for our lead contributors who gave $1 million or more to ensure that The Center’s capital raise would be a success. These lead donors include:

• American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation
• Ascendium
• Dane County
• New Market Tax Credits led by Forward Community Investments and U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance
• State of Wisconsin
• Summit Credit Union
• TruStage
• federal grants championed by Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Mark Pocan

Summit Credit Union’s $2 million gift, presented by President & CEO Kim Sponem at the capital campaign launch in late 2021, was instrumental in generating early momentum.

Ascendium was another of The Center’s early lead donors. Earlier this month, during the final stretch of the campaign, Ascendium provided a monumental second gift, contributing $626,000 to complete The Center’s capital campaign and ensure a debt-free opening. Thank you, Ascendium, for your incredible support that helped us cross the finish line!

The Center has begun raising funds for innovative programming and long-term building care—both essential to its future. Continued community support is vital to sustain and grow The Center’s impact for years to come. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2025.

While our capital campaign has come to a close, our journey is just beginning. We are excited to welcome you to The Center soon, and to continue to partner with you as we strive to elevate Black brilliance, innovation, and advancement throughout Wisconsin’s Black community.