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.

OPEN Foundation: Queer Empowerment Hour: Quiet Leadership

Join us for an empowering session with Maggie Conrad (she/her) of Little Light Solutions, LLC, as she explores how LGBTQ+ professionals can lead authentically and create meaningful change in their workplaces. Whether you’re an emerging leader or an established professional, this workshop will provide actionable insights on advocating for inclusivity, building equity, and leading by example—no matter your job title.

What You’ll Learn:
Strategies to influence workplace culture as your authentic self
Tools to advocate for inclusive policies and practices
How to lead with quiet confidence and purpose

This event is perfect for LGBTQ+ professionals, allies, and anyone passionate about fostering equitable and inclusive environments.

About the Event:
This event will feature an engaging workshop followed by a live Q&A session designed to help queer professionals lead authentically and drive positive change in their workplaces. While the workshop will be recorded for future reference, the Q&A will not be, ensuring a safe space for open discussions, meaningful connections, and community building.

About the Speaker:
Maggie Conrad (she/her) is a seasoned operations manager and consultant with over a decade of experience leading teams and hiring talent. As the founder of Little Light Solutions, she empowers queer leaders to create positive change, foster inclusive environments, and lead authentically.

Hosted By:
OPEN Foundation in collaboration with Little Light Solutions, LLC

Carnelian Art Gallery to Host First Exhibition of the Year

CONTACT: EMILIE HEIDEMANN
MARKETING DIRECTOR
EMAIL: EHEIDEMANNCAG@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: 920-763-6980

Carnelian Art Gallery to Host First Exhibition of the Year

MADISON, Wisconsin, Feb. 4 – Carnelian Art Gallery, located at 221 King St., Suite 102, in downtown Madison, is pleased to announce its first art exhibition of the year, titled “Finding Color In the Chaos.” The show will kick off with an opening reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 7, at the gallery. As always, light refreshments will be served.

Participating artists include Carnelian Art Gallery’s own curator and owner Evan Bradbury, as well as Wisconsin artists Jen Dunlop a.ka. “Jen Sky Art,” Matthew Braunginn, Denise Presnell and James Ackerman.

New this year, “Finding Color In the Chaos” will include a live painting session by Jen Dunlop, as well as poetry readings by Emilie Heidemann, Carnelian Art Gallery’s marketing director. The two worked together over the winter months to create a book, titled “The Secret Realm,” that’s a
collection of poems written in response to 10 of Dunlop’s artworks to be displayed as part of the exhibition. This type of call and response art is called ekphrastic art, a rising trend in Madison’s art scene.

The live painting session is set to commence at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 7, along with the poetry readings. Heidemann will read five or so poems from “The Secret Realm.” Signed hardcover copies of “The Secret Realm” will be available for purchase at the opening reception and beyond. The price for each book is $25.

“I am delighted to have worked with Jen to put together ‘The Secret Realm,'” said Heidemann. “This book marks not only a celebration of ourselves as artists, but commemorates Carnelian Art Gallery’s one-year anniversary of operations in Madison. There are no words for the amount of gratitude I feel toward the Carnelian Art Gallery team for letting us spread our wings and bring this idea to fruition.

“‘Finding Color In the Chaos’ is a beautiful metaphor for finding joy when things seem bleak. Whether you attend this exhibition’s opening reception, stop by to see it during Carnelian Art Gallery’s regular hours or set up an appointment to privately view artworks from the show, doing so will be good for your soul.”

“I can’t believe Carnelian Art Gallery has been in business for almost one year,” said Bradbury. “I want to send a huge thank you to our supporters, partners and the City of Madison for helping us grow. ‘Finding Color In the Chaos’ is a show you won’t want to miss. Please join us.”

About the artists
Bradbury, when he’s not heading up operations at Carnelian Art Gallery, enjoys “making a mess” while painting. He primarily works with acrylic paints, inks, sprays and gouaches to achieve his distinctive abstract style. Bradbury enjoys working on canvases small and large. He’s from the Madison area.

Creating art has been a constant companion for Dunlop. The Madison artist has created a series of abstract paintings using tissue paper, glue and iridescent acrylic paints. Her personal mantra is “paint just to paint.” She hopes to capture enchanted beauty, mystery and intrigue one brushstroke at a time. It’s a spiritual practice for her.

Braunginn, of Madison, is an emerging abstract expressionist painter. His abstract paintings express complex emotions and experiences. Braunginn mainly uses acrylic paints on wood and standard canvases to achieve each color’s deep yet vibrant opacity, as well as each distinguished pattern. Some of Braunginn’s paintings depict rounded shapes, while others sharply study three dimensional perspectives. Even more are circular.

Presnell, of Sheboygan, is a painter and mixed media artist. Her current work has evolved into a type of surrealism through biomorphic shapes, according to her website. The shapes arise from intuitive gestural drawing. She never has a plan. Presnell instead trusts her sense of color and composition to arrive at something new. Spontaneity is key for her process.

Ackerman, of Middleton, is an abstract expressionist artist examining the interaction of lines, shapes and color, according to his website. Painting abstracts can be compared to designing and assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle, he writes. Ackerman’s paintings usually begin unplanned, sometimes with a general idea or color combination. Then, he adds and subtracts different elements until they evolve into a more definitive composition.

Community Shares of Wisconsin: The Big Share is March 4

Especially in tumultuous times like these, Community Shares of Wisconsin and its local member nonprofits are standing up for a just society, clean environment, and strong democracy. But with the federal funding that supports many of these nonprofits uncertain, your donation during The Big Share is even more urgently needed.

Community Shares of Wisconsin and its nearly 70 member nonprofits will host The Big Share®, an online day of giving focused on social and environmental justice, on Tuesday, March 4. Visit thebigshare.org to donate or become a fundraiser for your favorite member nonprofit.

This year’s Big Share campaign is themed “Build Our Future Together” and Community Shares is encouraging people of all ages, including youth, to get involved in the social and environmental justice movement through philanthropy. The event aims to raise $800,000 and engage over 5,000 donors.

“Now in its eleventh year, The Big Share is a great opportunity for the community to demonstrate its commitment to the causes we all care about including voting rights, healthy food systems, criminal justice reform, housing advocacy, environmental protection, LGBTQ+ rights, and much more,” said Executive Director Cheri Dubiel. “Join us on March 4 to be part of this collective effort.”

This year, Community Shares of Wisconsin is inviting donors to include their children in their giving decisions. “Educating your children on the importance of philanthropy in powering social movements will help them understand the value of giving back and grow our movements for generations to come” said Dubiel.

Donations can be made any time between now and March 4 by visiting thebigshare.org. Donors can search for nonprofits by name or by cause, such as working for a just and equitable society, empowering people with disabilities, fostering civic engagement, ensuring affordable and accessible housing, protecting the environment, and supporting women, children, and families. A gift to Community Shares supports all member nonprofits.

Individuals who want to take their advocacy to the next level can visit thebigshare.org/fundraisers to create their own fundraising campaign for their favorite Community Shares member nonprofit. Fundraisers spread the word about The Big Share by engaging family members, friends, and coworkers. Easy-to-use resources, including pre-made social media posts and graphics, are available to help fundraisers at communityshares.com/big-share-fundraising-guide/

The Big Share Live, a day-long telethon to support The Big Share, returns in 2025. The program will be streamed live on thebigshare.org, and will feature local entertainment, prize announcements, discussions about social and environmental justice, and more.

Follow Community Shares of Wisconsin on social media for ways to engage with The Big Share now through March 4.

facebook.com/communityshares

instagram.com/commshareswi/

bsky.app/profile/commshareswi.bsky.social

The Big Share’s 2025 principal partner is Madison Community Foundation.

Media sponsors are The Cap Times, Triple MMM 105.5, and News 3 Now.

Additional sponsors are Ascendium Education Group, Boardman Clark, First Business Bank, MGE Foundation, Summit Credit Union, Wegner CPAs, and more.

Since 1971, Community Shares of Wisconsin and its members have worked together to advance social justice and protect the environment in Wisconsin. Together they envision a future where people come together to ensure every member of our community is safe, healthy, and able to thrive.