Local Cents by Pillar Bank
Local Cents by Pillar Bank is your go to source for local banking topics that are relevant to you! At Pillar Bank, we are a trusted and caring partner committed to providing the guidance and resources for you to thrive. Serving the Northwest Wisconsin communities of Amery, Baldwin, Balsam Lake, Chippewa Falls, Clear Lake, Plum City, and Spring Valley, we’re not an impersonal corporate bank with lots of red tape. We’re a well-established local bank that gets to know our customers and does what is right.
Episodes
Banking is evolving faster than ever through technology, artificial intelligence, digital payments, and changing customer expectations. While many aspects of banking continue to transform, the importance of community banking remains as strong as ever.
In this episode, we're exploring what community banking could look like over the next decade. Kennedy and Hunter from Pillar Bank's NextGen Council share their insights on the future ...
Tune in to this episode of the Local Cents Podcast featuring Sarah Meyer, Marketing Coordinator, and Kennedy Eslinger, Universal Teller II. Join us as we discuss how social media helps build meaningful connections with customers, share helpful financial tips, showcase Pillar Bank products and services, and highlight our involvement in the communities we serve.
Tune in to this episode of the Local Cents Podcast featuring Mike DeLong, Agricultural Lender at Pillar Bank. Learn more about managing the financial side of your agricultural operation and the importance of regularly reviewing your business plan.
Mike discusses the REM approach: Respond, Execute, and Monitor, and how these steps can help you evaluate expenses, improve capital management, and make informed decisions for the future...
Tune in to this episode of our Local Cents Podcast as Michele Bonse, Universal Banker, and Meagan Larson, Universal Teller, share what life is really like on the front lines of banking. Hear about the ins and outs, the challenges and rewards, and why a little caffeine is often essential to the job! ☕🎙️💙
Tune into this episode of Local Cents as members of the Next Gen Council share their perspectives on banking products and what appeals most to their generation. CEO Shane Bauer leads the conversation with Brooke, Kennedy, and Hunter as they discuss financial products, preferences, and trends shaping the future of banking.
This podcast is all about Tiger Teams! So, what are Tiger Teams? It’s a concept tied directly to our organization’s strategic plan. These teams “attack” challenges like a tiger, intentionally coming together to organize, rework, and rethink processes with efficiency and innovation in mind. The focus is on finding ways to strengthen how we operate, improve workflows, and continue growing as a business through...
Listen to this podcast featuring VP/Commercial/Agricultural Loan Officer Mike DeLong as he talks about one of his favorite times of the year — June Dairy Month! Originally established in 1937 as National Milk Month, this long-standing tradition celebrates Wisconsin’s dairy industry and communities. Tune in to hear about the many dairy events happening throughout western Wisconsin and why this month means so much to the ...
What does it really mean to lead in your community?
In this episode of Local Cents, we sit down with Angela Kapp, Programs and Partnerships Director at the Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce, along with Pillar Bank’s Lori (Leadership Chippewa Falls graduate) and Colin (current participant), to explore the impact of this long-standing leadership program.
Since its start in 1999, Leadership Chippewa Falls has developed more tha...
What does it take to turn an idea into a growing local business?
In this episode of Local Cents, we sit down with young entrepreneur Custer’s Cones & Candy founder Hunter Custer and Pillar Bank’s Neil Mathwig to talk about what it really looks like to start—and scale—a business from the ground up.
Hunter launched the business at just 18 years old. Now, six years later, he’s expanded to multiple loc...
April is Financial Literacy Month, and banks across Wisconsin are stepping into classrooms to help kids build smart money habits early.
In this episode of Local Cents, Pillar Bank team members Erik and Dawn share how they bring financial lessons to life through the Teach Kids to Save program. One of their favorite ways to start the conversation is by reading the children’s book Money Monster, which helps students understand t...
At Pillar Bank, serving our communities goes far beyond banking.
In this podcast episode, Pillar Bank representatives share how employees are making an impact through volunteerism and local partnerships. From serving on nonprofit boards and chambers of commerce to supporting food pantries, parades, and community events, Erik and Dawn talk about how giving back strengthens the places we live and work.
They also discuss the role of P...
Community banking is more than a place to keep your money — it’s a relationship.
In this episode, Tony Meyers and Becky Rouser share what community banking looks like in action at Pillar Bank. From supporting first-time homebuyers and small business owners to reinvesting time, talent, and resources back into the communities we serve, they explore how local decision-making and personal relationships make a real differenc...
In this episode, CEO Shane Bauer and staff member Deann LaValley share why Pillar Bank chose CultureWise and how it helped bring clarity, consistency, and connection across the organization.
With 7 locations and 7 distinct cultures, Pillar Bank wanted more than mission statements and values that could feel abstract. What emerged instead were the Pillar Principles — 30 clear, behavior-based principles practiced one week at a t...
Agriculture is evolving. Staying ahead means understanding what’s changing, what’s tightening, and where opportunity still exists.
In this episode, Pillar Bank’s Ag Lender Mike DeLong shares key takeaways from the Western Wisconsin Ag Lenders Conference, where lenders and ag experts came together to discuss the forces shaping today’s agricultural landscape.
From emerging farm technology and livestock trends ...
Saving money looks different at every stage of life, but the goal is the same: being ready for what’s next.
In this Local Cents podcast episode, Pillar Bank’s Lisa Lyon (Gen X/Boomer) and Brooke McLaren (Gen Z) come together for an honest, practical conversation about what saving really means. From 401(k)s and Roth accounts to payroll deposits and automated savings, they break down how small, consistent habits add up ov...
Credit doesn’t have to be confusing—or intimidating.
In this episode of Local Cents, Sylvan Erickson, SVP/Chief Credit Officer, and Tony Meyers, VP/Commercial Loan Officer, break down what credit really is, how it’s built, and what it takes to maintain a strong credit score over time.
They tackle common misconceptions, share smart credit habits, and call out the mistakes that can quietly hold people back. Most imp...
In the first Local Cents podcast episode of 2026, CEO Shane Bauer looks back on a year that made an impact—and ahead to what comes next for Pillar Bank.
From helping rebuild the Baldwin EDC to partnering with St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity, 2025 was defined by community commitment. Add in more than 1,200 employee volunteer hours, and it’s clear: Pillar Bank didn’t just show up—we leaned in.
As we turn...
On this episode of Local Cents, Mike DeLong, VP/Commercial/Agriculture Loan Officer with Pillar Bank talks with Jon Bahr of Ever.Ag, a Platteville-based risk management firm serving farmers nationwide. Jon focuses on grain marketing, while Ever.Ag supports the full farm-to table spectrum with dairy, livestock, and feed too.
This year’s market has been tough: low volatility and prices below “break even” have m...
At Pillar Bank, we believe the best way to build the future is to invite it to the table.
That’s why we created our Next Generation Committee — a team of employees under 30 who are helping guide how we grow, innovate, and connect with younger customers.
In our latest podcast episode, CMO Tracy Steeno sits down with two members of the committee to discuss:
- Why the group was formed
- How they’re shaping the Bank&...
Jim Peterson had a choice - continue working for a large national business where he was 'just a number' or strike out on his own. He chose the latter in 2015 and that's when J&F Facility Services began.
Join Neil Mathwig, Market President of Pillar Bank's Chippewa Falls branch, as he chats with Jim about his 10-year success story. Jim shares his why, his journey an...
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