2011 Outstanding Women in Banking: Sue Sjoselius

Sue Sjoselius, the marketing director/retail manager of Minneapolis's Northeast Bank, almost wasn't a banker at all..Thanks to a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, she's one of this year's Outstanding Women in Banking..The luck came when Sjoselius – pronounced "show-SEE-lee-us" – was looking for a part-time job 26 years ago. "I just wanted to get out of the house," she said, and the Columbia Heights branch of Northeast Bank was within walking distance of her and her husband's residence. Despite having no banking experience, she landed a position as a drive-up teller..Then came the hard work. Within five years, she had been promoted twice: first to teller supervisor, then to personal banking officer. Realizing that she wanted a career in banking, she dove into education while working full-time and raising two children. "It took me six years to earn my B.A. in marketing from Concordia University in St. Paul," she said. She graduated in 1998 – two years after becoming Northeast's vice-president of marketing and four years after completing the ABA's Graduate School of Bank Marketing..More education and work followed. She became a Certified Financial Marketing Professional in 2003, a graduate of Concordia University's M.A. program in organizational management in 2005, and marketing director/retail manager in 2006..Sjoselius currently oversees all retail bankers and tellers, the compliance team, and all marketing and community relations at Northeast's three locations. "I get 14 direct reports and have something different to do every day," she said. She especially appreciates the blend of compliance, "which demands strong linear thinking," and marketing, "which feeds my creative side and my love for interacting with people.".Sjoselius' success has paralleled Northeast's. Since she started, the bank has grown from two branches with $50 million in assets to three branches and $365 million in assets. Her colleagues expect the win-win partnership to continue. "Sue plays an important role in the bank's strategic planning and heads the sales initiatives of the bank," said Northeast's COO Gail Mikolich. She added that Sjoselius leads by example. "She is a great role model and always treats employees, peers, customers and strangers with dignity and respect.".Tom Beck, president of Northeast Bank, especially appreciates Sjoselius' ability to fulfill two crucial roles. "She's really our conduit to the community, keeping us true to our mission as a community bank. But she's also a great compliance officer. And it's very rare to find one person who can do both of those things at such a high level.".Wanting to help other bankers the way she was helped, Sjoselius also serves as Bank Marketing Certification Committee Chair for the ABA, an Advisory Board member for the ABA Bank Marketing School of Management, and a member the Minnesota Bankers Association marketing committee. "The ABA's educational opportunities helped launch my career," she said. "That's why I'm passionate about promoting banking education.".Sjoselius also takes her role as a community banker seriously. "I've been a volunteer since I was 17 years old when I did some work at a church camp," she said "The community has given so much to me, so I want to give back." As a banker, she has served on several non-profit boards in the northeast Twin Cities – including East Side Neighborhood Services – and promotes volunteerism at the bank. "Bank employees volunteer over 3,500 hours each year," she boasts..When not banking, Sjoselius is likely to be found with one or many members of her family: James, her husband of 37 years, her two children, her three grandchildren, and a Siberian husky named Marzeka. "They energize me," she said, especially when they're together on vacation along the shores of Lake Superior..She also garners energy from reading. "Mysteries and, yes, business books are my favorites," she admitted..But she gets most of her energy at work which, she said, doesn't seem like work. "I've been told that if you find something you love, you won't work a day in your life. For me, that passion is for banking.".Other 2011 Outstanding Women in Banking honorees include:Cleo Bykonen, American Bank Center, Stanley, N.D.Vicki Monsen, McKenzie County Bank, Watford City, N.D.Robin Loftus, Security Bank, Springfield, Ill.Rachel Nesheim, First Community Bank, Newell, IowaRachael Petersen, Bridgewater Bank, Bloomington, Minn.