Born and raised in Dubuque, IA, Molly Slater now calls Lancaster, WI home. Molly works as a Senior Member Service Representative for Marine Credit Union (MCU). She started in banking 25 years ago as a part-time teller and worked her way up to a personal banker position and eventually a branch manager. The bank she worked for was bought out by MCU. What was it like transitioning to MCU? “It was good,” Molly replied. “I’m a big believer that everything will work out.”
Molly shared that she was a single mom. She said it was hard but also very rewarding. And through it, she said her now 26-year-old son and her “made it through together.”
Much like in her personal life, she knows the value of working as a team. She said it was tough transitioning the bank and that some days they “just had to put their boots on” and “make things work.” She knew that together, with her co-workers, they would make it through. “It’s the people that keep me here,” she added.
Another time she needed to maneuver through transition was at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Lobbies closed,” she explained. Although some were sent home to work, Molly stayed working at the branch. She said there were just two of them through COVID and it changed how everything worked. “How we did banking changed,” she added.
The lobbies were closed for a year and a half. “Digital,” she explained, was “pushed.” This did change what Molly assisted members with. With the new Smart ATMs, Molly said she helped them learn the new technology and tried to make things more convenient for them. Most importantly was what didn’t change. “It didn’t change my passion for helping people,” she said.
“My favorite thing about working at MCU is that they really let you be you. You can say what you’re feeling and share your thoughts,” Molly shared. “They don’t knock you for who you are. This helps you to feel human. Otherwise … it’s just work, right? I feel valued. My opinion matters. I matter.”
Molly said that working in an environment that helps her feel she can be authentic helps her to develop trust with her members. She lives and works in a town of roughly 3,500 people. “I see everybody at school events and restaurants. I know everyone. I am really a part of the community.”
Molly shared a story of an elderly couple. The wife of the couple had dementia and after the husband fell and ended up in the hospital, Molly personally saw to it that the couple’s bills were paid. A few weeks later, the husband came into the branch. Molly had a copy of his receipt and a copy of his check. The daughter of the couple cried and said that she couldn’t believe Molly went out of her way to pay her parent’s taxes. “It was the right thing to do,” Molly commented.
“You just have to be a good person. Do the right thing. You have to go to bed with yourself every night.”
Molly said she appreciates working for an organization that gives back to the community. “MCU is a great company to work for. I enjoy coming to work every day,” she shared. During COVID she explained that MCU provided funds to pay for lunches for health care workers and gave donations to the town’s fire department. “I got to know a lot of people doing that.”
Molly is on a first name basis with her members and most of the people in her community. “My friends make fun of me because no matter where I go … I know someone.”
