Sue Loken Named Chief Financial Officer of State Bank of Cross Plains

January 2, 2020, MADISON, Wisconsin — After an extensive search involving more than 140 candidates, State Bank of Cross Plains (SBCP) named Sue Loken its next Senior Vice President – Chief Financial Officer.

“My role is to be a strategic partner with the team and continue to help move the organization forward, especially through this time of transformation in community banking,” Loken explains. “Over the years, I’ve seen so many different situations and scenarios. I’ve developed the insight to identify opportunities and suggest solutions, as well as the capability to make those adjustments with confidence.”

Most recently, Loken served as Chief Risk Officer at Bank First in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Additional experience includes eight years as CFO and Risk Officer at Partnership Bank, nearly 10 years working with banks of various sizes at Wipfli, six years in the private sector as an accountant, and extensive expertise in risk mitigation.

“In light of our recent merger, we were looking for someone who could guide us through the regulatory standards and higher level of scrutiny that comes with surpassing the $1 billion threshold,” said SBCP President and CEO, Jim Tubbs. “Sue can provide the leadership we need to navigate this exciting period of growth.”

Loken’s breadth of experience in accounting, finance, and banking is part of what set her apart during the selection process. “Looking good on paper is only the first step,” Tubbs clarifies. “Sue is much more than her resume highlights. In addition to being a well-rounded banker, she is a personable leader with a genuine community banking attitude. Throughout the interview process, it became clear that Sue really mirrors our bank’s core culture and personality.”

Loken confirms that this career move will allow her to feed her passion for community involvement. In addition to her work at State Bank of Cross Plains, she is committed to helping others achieve their dreams, whether by developing leaders internally or supporting the local community.

“Giving back and supporting the community you live and work in is at the heart of community banking and is my passion. A good school district, for example, makes such a huge difference to an entire community,” she says about this topic near-and-dear to her heart. “It supports individual enrichment, improves local labor skillset and availability, and affects population growth and business development.”

Loken has been actively involved in the Cedarburg Education Foundation and the Greater Cedarburg Foundation, and plans to continue supporting education and the community overall in her new neighborhood upon moving to Dane County.

Loken officially started at State Bank of Cross Plains on Monday, December 16, 2019.

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State Bank of Cross Plains is known for our modern, progressive approach to supporting businesses and consumers by offering services more typical of larger financial institutions in an environment that values one-on-one personal relationships and community involvement. Thanks to our recent merger, State Bank of Cross Plains is a $1.3 billion institution, offering a full range of business and personal financial services including business, real estate, and consumer lending, as well as wealth management and financial advisory services. We now also provide Crop Insurance and Ag Lending Services. SBCP has 15 convenient locations in Dane, Rock, and Green Counties. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

For additional information, please visit sbcp.bank or contact Marketing Communications Manager Ian Folger at 608-826-3515. 

Starion Bank names Morgan president

Starion Bank has named Don Morgan president, with Craig Larson continuing in the roles of CEO and chairman of the board for the bank. As president, Morgan manages the day-to-day operations of the bank, while Larson focuses on the overall strategy and vision for Starion Bank.

Morgan, a certified public accountant, has been with Starion since 2012 when he joined the bank as vice president for credit administration. The next year he was promoted to chief credit officer. In 2014, he became a member of Starion’s Executive Committee which is responsible for initiating key actions within the organization, reviewing financial data and setting major project priorities.

“With Don’s exceptional finance background and commitment to serving our communities, I’m confident that under his leadership Starion will continue to be a strong organization committed to taking our employees, customers and communities farther,” said Larson. “Starion has been a family-owned bank for 50 years and we look forward to Don leading the team into the next 50.”

In this new role, Morgan will partner with and develop Starion’s high-performance leadership teams, focusing on all operational aspects of the bank and building relationships within the bank, with customers and all the communities Starion serves. He is based out of corporate headquarters in Bismarck, N.D.

“Starion Bank is filled with great people and is based on timeless values,” explained Morgan. “As we begin the next chapter in our story, we will be leaders in financial innovation while maintaining our ‘small town’ values of exceptional customer service, being a great place to work and supporting our communities.”

Morgan has extensive banking and leadership experience, which includes 18 years in the areas of credit administration, commercial lending, market president and internal auditing. A Wyoming native, he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance with an accounting minor from University of Wyoming and a master’s in accounting from the University of Phoenix. Morgan is active in the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, local 4H, and the Soil Conservation District. He has been a guest presenter for college business classes and was treasurer of the North Dakota Rodeo Association Finals Committee for seven years.

Madison Ballet Names Verónica Castillo Director of Outreach

FOR MORE INFORMATION

CONTACT: JONATHAN SOLARI, (608) 278-7990, Jonathan@MadisonBallet.org

Madison Ballet Names Verónica Castillo Director of Outreach

Advocate for Equal Access for Arts Education Builds a Vision for Dance for All

MADISON, WI – Madison Ballet is proud to announce that Verónica Castillo has been named the organization’s Director of Outreach after having previously serving as Outreach & Education Coordinator. Ms. Castillo will build opportunities for future audiences and dancers alike by overseeing collaborative educational programs with community centers, libraries, schools, and senior centers. Additionally, she will build curriculum that is culturally-appropriate and provide training to the faculty of the School of Madison Ballet, under Director Rachelle Butler’s leadership.

“We are thrilled for the future of our outreach programs. It has already become clear that the impact of Verónica’s work will reverberate well beyond the walls of our new studios. Our whole community is poised to benefit from her dedication and vision.” said Jonathan Solari, the company’s CEO.

“I am a teacher and advocate at heart and am excited to bring this perspective to Madison Ballet.”, said Castillo. “When we allow a student to become a dancer for even an hour, we provide space for them to express their emotions and plant a seed to blossom into a new path through the arts.”

Veronica Castillo is a native of El Paso, Texas and was raised in Iowa City, Iowa. She holds a BA in Art History and Non-Profit Organization from the University of Iowa, and a Master’s degree in Bilingual Education from Edgewood College. She relocated from San Francisco to Madison in 2011, where she worked as a bilingual classroom teacher for K-4 through fifth grade at Kennedy Elementary, Schenck Elementary and Glendale Elementary. She was also an ESL/TAG Instructional Resource Coach at Leopold Elementary and Nuestro Mundo. Before joining Madison Ballet, she worked in the administrative offices for the Madison Metropolitan School District. Currently, she takes Flamenco classes with Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance.

For nearly 40 years Madison Ballet has been an integral part of the vibrant Dane County arts community.  Professional ballet education and training with the School of Ballet assures that students of all ages and skill levels gain the poise, confidence, discipline, and fundamental life skills intrinsic to the study of classical ballet.  Full scale productions such as the acclaimed Nutcracker and imaginative contemporary performances by the professional repertory company reach tens of thousands of people each year, while scholarships and neighborhood outreach programs connect hundreds of families and young people with the joy of dance.  

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Jodi Lyon-Grams Brings More Than 20 Years of Experience to The Creative Company

MADISON, WI – The Creative Company welcomes Producer and Publicist Jodi Lyon-Grams to the team. As a former TV news correspondent and producer, Jodi’s work has been on Lifetime, Big Ten Network and numerous PBS affiliates across the country. She has specialized in medical news and health & wellness content as well as travel stories for broadcast and web. Effective media pitching is all about finding the right news hook and Jodi’s experience helps our clients get the media placements they need to move their projects forward.

“Jodi’s decision to join us is a huge boost to The Creative Company. She provides senior-level counseling and expertise that our clients have come to expect,” said Laura Gallagher. “The addition of Jodi to the team strengthens our public affairs team securing our position to help clients achieve their communication and business goals.”

Previously, Jodi worked as a producer for America’s longest-running travel show, Discover Wisconsin, a freelance video producer and editor for regional corporate clients, an on-air reporter for local tv news and a freelance host/producer at Milwaukee Public Television. She’s also produced numerous video news releases for major pharmaceutical companies nationwide.

“I’m thrilled to be working at The Creative Company with a team of wonderfully talented people who serve our clients so well,” said Jodi. “Whether it’s helping a business build a brand or manage a crisis, The Creative Company is a rewarding place to work.”

About The Creative Company, Inc.

The Creative Company is a Public Relations, Web Development, Interactive Digital Media and Marketing Agency located in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded in 1989, The Creative Company is an award-winning team of senior-level, award-winning, branding strategists, designers, artists, digital developers, and PR pros, led by company founder and State of Wisconsin Trailblazer, Laura Gallagher.

Nolin Joins Alliance Board

Contact: Peggy Rynearson, Sr. Public Relations and Events Specialist

608.210.6658; prynearson@the-alliance.org, www.the-alliance.org/news-and-press

NOLIN JOINS ALLIANCE BOARD

MADISON, Wis. (November 13, 2019) ─ Jake Nolin, Director of Human Resources at Rice Lake Weighing Systems, has been appointed to The Alliance Board of Directors effective January 1, 2020.

Among his many duties at Rice Lake Weighing Systems, Jake is leading the charge to provide high-value health care at his company. He said, “Six years ago it became clear that the cost of fully insured health plans is unsustainable for our business, employees and their families. Since then, we have been able to offer better healthcare benefits at a lower cost.” Rice Lake Weighing Systems credits much of its success to its like-minded partners at The Alliance for access to contracted care, Alithias for healthcare pricing transparency and advocacy, and Neopath Health to run Cedar Ridge, a no-cost direct primary care Health Center for their members. Jake says, “once we had the basic tools in place, the most important part became educating and incentivizing our Take Control of Your Health Plan members to be smart healthcare consumers.”

Prior to joining Rice Lake Weighing Systems in 2011, Nolin held human resources leadership positions at Fortune Brands, Newell-Rubbermaid, and GKN. Jake was also a partner at Competitive Dynamics International and a Project Director at The Pacific Institute.

Jake graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management. Jake earned an M.B.A. in Human Resource Management and a master’s degree in Business Law with honors from the University of Miami, Florida. Jake is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources, a Master Trainer for Mission Directed Work Teams, and a Master Facilitator for Investment In Excellence and Thought Patterns for High Performance.

The Alliance board also includes:

• Richard Campbell, head of human resources, ABS Global, a division of Genus PLC
• Diana Clark, benefits manager, Promega Corporation, Madison, Wis.
• Wendy Culver, chief human resources officer, Mead & Hunt, Madison, Wis.
• Mick Gronewold, owner, Fehr Graham, Rockford, Ill.
• Lisa Henke, risk/benefits manager, County of Walworth, Elkhorn, Wis.
• Brad Olm, vice president of human resources, Gordon Flesch Company, Inc., Madison, Wis.
• Craig Parsons, president, Palmer Johnson Power Systems, Sun Prairie, Wis.
• Kyle Reading, president, Spuncast, Watertown, Wis.
• Larry Pribyl, chief financial officer, Trachte Building Systems, Sun Prairie, Wis.
• Shirley Reif, secretary-treasurer, Crest Foods Company, Inc., Ashton, Ill.

The Alliance Board of Directors works together with staff to set the direction for The Alliance. The Alliance is a not-for-profit cooperative that moves health care forward by controlling costs, improving quality, and engaging individuals in their health. Members include more than 250 self-funded employers, and multiemployer plans in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

To learn more about The Alliance Board, including biographies, visit: https://the-alliance.org/about-the-alliance/board-of-directors