Schuster named Employee of the Month for June

Penny Schuster has been behind the front desk at Bank Forward's New Rockford branch since 2003. She started February 1 just after closing her bakery, Penny's Pastries, on January 31.

Schuster said her favorite thing about her position as Personal Banker is interacting with the customers. The hardest thing about closing the bakery was her concern about losing the camaraderie with her regular customers. However, she quickly forged relationships with new customers at Bank Forward and had the opportunity to continue her relationship with bakery patrons. "The standing joke was to come to my station and say 'I want a bismarck.' That happened regularly for the first year," Schuster recalled with a chuckle.

We're "more than just tellers," Schuster said of herself and her fellow Personal Bankers, who have taken on more responsibilities as banking as evolved with technology. The lobby used to be really busy on payday as workers deposited their checks and got cash, but now many employers have paychecks direct deposited into accounts and employees go to the ATM to get cash.

The personal bankers also are responsible for correcting errors in check deposits, fixing keying errors in Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions. They also handle all disputes locally when someone suspects debit card fraud on their account and balance correspondent accounts.

Upon hearing of Schuster's award, Josh Guler, Market President for Bank Forward in New Rockford, said, "Penny Schuster is very deserving of this award. She is an experienced and knowledgeable banker who regularly goes above and beyond to provide great customer service to her customers and co-workers. Penny is a great asset to Bank Forward and to the community."

Bank Forward has had a presence in New Rockford for over 90 years. With bill pay, online banking and e-statements, customers have access to all the modern tools for managing their accounts and finances. In-house investment and insurance services make the New Rockford branch even more convenient.

On April 30, the company broke ground on a expansion of its Fargo branch. A new building, which will house both Bank Forward and Insure Forward, is under construction at 37th Avenue South and Veterans Boulevard in Southwest Fargo. Bank Forward has a presence in 13 communities across North Dakota and Minnesota.

Has someone in New Rockford surprised or delighted you with excellent service? Please nominate him or her for this award. There are nomination cards and forms in the table tents and on bulletin boards at local businesses. Forms are available online at cityofnewrockford.com/chamber. Nominations can also be sent by email to [email protected]. One award is given per month.