Top Workplaces: Port Washington State Bank recognized in small business category

When Port Washington State Bank first opened its doors in 1899, centering the needs of the local community was a top priority for the founders.

124 years later, that same community dedication remains key to the bank’s success.

“At the surface it may appear that we are a business that deals with money, but any banker will tell you we are in the people business,” said James Schowalter, Port Washington State Bank president and COO, in an email. 

Helping customers reach their goals of building a business, owning a house, and “all the things in between” is the reason why Port Washington State Bank and other community banks exist throughout the country, Schowalter adds. Donations and community service also showcase the bank’s commitment to communities across Ozaukee County.

In surveys, employees praised Port Washington State Bank’s strong values and positive work environment. The bank joins southeast Wisconsin’s Top Workplaces list again in 2023, after 12 consecutive years as a winner in the small business category.

Here are some reasons the bank was recognized:

Getting to know their customers

In an era when people have many options for banking – online, over-the-phone, and in-person – Port Washington State Bank takes a personalized approach for each customer, regardless of how they get in touch.

“We don’t want to treat each customer like a number,” Schowalter said in an email. Instead, employees strive to get to know customers by name and listen carefully to their needs.

Offering a variety of product options, terms, rates, and technology is what helps employees do business with customers in varying circumstances, Schowalter added.

An emphasis on customer service goes all the way to the top, where senior-level bank members honor an open-door policy. “If a grievance is not resolved to a customer’s liking they are welcome to approach anyone in the bank at any level,” Schowalter said in an email.

Internal customer satisfaction surveys from 2022 showed that 95 percent of respondents ranked customer service as “excellent.” Employees echoed the dedication to customer service in Top Workplaces surveys.

“PWSB truly is customer focused,” one employee said. Another described that their job makes them feel “like I am part of something bigger in my community.”

Employees say they feel appreciated, supported by management

Employees also wrote that they felt appreciated, valued, and supported by management. 

“I truly have the tools to provide my clients with a product and service I know they won't get anywhere else,” an employee said. “I have a manager that goes out of their way to let me know they appreciate me and how I treat my clients.”

Stella Terry, Port Washington State Bank’s senior vice president and director of human resources, said in an email that managers pride themselves on being approachable.

“‘Talk with your manager’ is something we say a lot because we want employees to know that they will always have someone present to help them understand, solve or create a solution to whatever it is that’s on their mind,” Terry said in an email. 

Managers also recently collaborated on an employee appreciation toolkit to consistently reward employees, which Terry said is used to “provide hundreds of ways to reinforce and reward employees for the hard work they do.”

Community deposits highest in Ozaukee County

Even in uncertain financial times, Port Washington State Bank continues to invest in communities and earn customer’s trust.

In 2022, deposit volumes at the bank were the highest out of all 14 banks and three credit unions operating in Ozaukee County, according to Schowalter. 

“While the number is impressive financially, it’s also meaningful because it means we’ve earned the trust of many families and businesses that we’ve supported for more than a century,” Schowalter said in an email.

And in the same year, Port Washington State Bank made monetary and in-kind donations to more than 230 events and organizations, with a total of $300,000 donated to initiatives in Ozaukee County.

As times change and challenges come and go, Schowalter said the bank’s dedication to safe banking practices and its commitment to employees and customers will remain constant.

“While the way we serve these groups may appear different today, it’s still, in principle, how we have and will still remain successful for years to come,” he wrote.