Bank of Sun Prairie Joins ABA and Banks Across U.S. for #BanksNeverAskThat Campaign

America’s banks join forces in coordinated, industry-wide campaign to protect consumers during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Today Bank of Sun Prairie joined the American Bankers Association and banks across the nation to promote an industry-wide campaign educating consumers about the persistent and growing threat of scams. The FTC estimates that consumers lost $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, an increase of 25% compared to 2023. To combat these scams, the award-winning #BanksNeverAskThat campaign uses attention-grabbing humor and other engaging content to empower consumers to identify bogus bank communications asking for sensitive information like their passwords and social security numbers.

“It’s especially important for all of us to be diligent when it comes to recognizing scams. We’re all at risk; we need to take a moment to really understand if what is being presented to us is in reality criminals at work,” stated Jimmy Kauffman, president and chief executive officer at Bank of Sun Prairie. “This campaign by the American Bankers Association really hits the mark with humor and memorable examples to help us all get better at being safe.”

“As scams become increasingly sophisticated, it’s critical that individuals understand how to recognize and avoid deceptive tactics,” said Paul Benda, senior vice president, operational risk and cybersecurity at ABA. “The #BanksNeverAskThat campaign is designed to do just that —empowering consumers with knowledge in a way that’s engaging and memorable. By joining the campaign, Bank of Sun Prairie and financial institutions throughout the country are helping their customers stay one step ahead of scammers.”

Bank of Sun Prairie, along with banks from across the U.S., will join forces with ABA to kick off this year’s updated campaign on Oct. 1 to mark the beginning of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Throughout the month Bank of Sun Prairie will share eye-catching and engaging short videos and consumer tips on social media and in bank branches designed to highlight common scams. Because cybersecurity education and fraud awareness can often be dull and forgettable to many consumers, the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign is designed to be bright and bold with a bit of comedy.

This year’s campaign theme, “Snap Out of It!” highlights that scammers often lure consumers into a false sense of trust and security – almost a spellbound state – while demanding urgent action. The campaign’s short videos show various scams in progress, but before the consumer can be defrauded, a bank employee calls attention to the red flags and encourages the victim to “snap out of it!” The trance is broken, and the scammers are stopped in their tracks.

In addition to videos, consumers can find an interactive quiz, the educational “Scam City” video game, and tips on how to spot a scam at BanksNeverAskThat.com. There is also a Spanish language version of the website, BancosNuncaPidenEso.com, which provides a host of #BanksNeverAskThat resources in Spanish.

For more information about scams and how to stop fraudsters in their tracks, visit BanksNeverAskThat.com.

Bank of Sun Prairie is a locally owned, full-service community bank with $724 million in assets and four branches in Sun Prairie and Cottage Grove, Wis. Its mission is to be trusted advisor and community ally lifting people and organizations up, milestone to milestone, through leading-edge financial services and personal support. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

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Two Greater Madison Distilleries Up For USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards

Two distilleries in Greater Madison have been nominated for USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

J. Henry & Sons in Dane is nominated for Best Whiskey, and Dancing Goat Distillery in Cambridge is nominated for Best Distillery Tour.

The distilleries were nominated to the Top 20 lists in their respective categories by a panel of USA Today editors. You can vote for each one to be included in the final Top 10 list until voting ends on Monday, October 13 at 11 a.m. CT. You can vote up to once per day in both categories. The 10 winners for each list will be announced on Wednesday, October 22.

Learn more and cast your votes for J. Henry & Sons here, and for Dancing Goat Distillery here.

MMSD Launches “Mad for Reading” App to Spark Student Engagement

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has launched the Mad for Reading App, powered by Beanstack, giving students and families a new way to celebrate and track their reading.

The app makes reading fun and interactive for students of all ages. By logging their reading, students can earn digital badges, participate in challenges, and build streaks by reading and tracking their progress on a personal virtual bookshelf. Any kind of reading counts—fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, articles, audiobooks, even being read to by a teacher or family member. 

“Our goal is simple: to get students reading more and enjoying it,” said Maegan Heindel, MMSD’s library services coordinator. “By providing all kinds of literacy connections and entry points, we’re helping kids discover and read what they love while building a lifelong habit.”

The district has set a shared goal of 2.6 million minutes read this school year. Every student’s reading contributes toward that total, reinforcing the idea that individual efforts add up to collective success.

“Reading is the foundation of learning, and this app helps us meet students where they are,” Heindel added. “Whether a child is just beginning their literacy journey or already devouring books, the Mad for Reading App makes it easy to recognize their growth and celebrate it with their family and school community.”

Getting started is simple. At school, students are able to log in through their device using Classlink. At home, families can download the Beanstack mobile app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store, using their student’s Classlink username (ID number) to connect reading minutes between home and school.

The launch of the Mad for Reading App aligns with MMSD’s districtwide literacy priority, building excitement and accountability around reading while engaging families as partners.

For more information about MMSD’s ongoing Mad for Reading initiative, 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.

Dupaco’s Commitment to Workplace Excellence Earns Statewide Honor

DUBUQUE, Iowa — Dupaco Credit Union has once again been recognized as a Top Workplace by the Des Moines Register, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to fostering a people-first culture and continuously improving the employee experience.

This Top Workplace recognition is based on results from an employee engagement survey conducted earlier this year from over 550 employees. The survey, administered by Energage, captures authentic feedback from employees and evaluates key aspects of workplace culture including alignment, execution and leadership.

“Being named a Top Workplace is a reflection of our employees’ voices—and we take those voices seriously,” said Joe Hearn, Dupaco President and CEO. “We don’t just participate in these surveys to check a box. We use the insights to grow, to get stronger and to ensure we’re living up to our commitment to be a great place to work.”   

Team Dupaco is part of Dupaco’s strategy and one of the financial cooperative’s four Areas of Focus.  

“We’re proud of this recognition, but even more proud of the intentional work our team puts in every day to make Dupaco a great place where people thrive,” Hearn continued.  

Participation in the Top Workplace survey is a strategic decision for Dupaco. The results are more than just data points—they’re a roadmap for growth. Dupaco uses it to identify areas for improvement, reinforce what’s working and stay accountable. The credit union uses the survey results to measure progress and continuously evolve to better support our employees.   

As a people-centric organization, Hearn said he is proud of how engaged employees are at the financial cooperative. “Every employee lends a hand to make our culture special. This is what helps us work towards our vision of a brighter community for all.”     

Dupaco has earned Top Workplace recognition from the Des Moines Register in multiple years, including 2023, 2021, 2019, 2016, and 2011.

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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 176,000 with assets exceeding $3.6 billion. It has over 600 employees and 23 branch office locations. Learn more at www.dupaco.com.

Weight In Gold Wellness Dietitian Earns Advanced Obesity Training Certificate

Weight In Gold Wellness is proud to celebrate Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Aryn DeGrave, RDN, for earning her Certificate of Training in Obesity for both pediatric and adult patients. This nationally recognized program equips dietitians with advanced skills to support individuals and families through evidence-based obesity care.

At Weight In Gold Wellness, we believe obesity is a complex, chronic disease that requires a compassionate and comprehensive approach. Aryn’s dedication to achieving this additional credential ensures that our patients—children, teens, and adults alike—have access to the highest standard of nutrition care. Her advanced training further strengthens our mission to transform mind and body to find health beyond the scale.