Stanley Koopmans, MBA
Senior VP – Business Banking Sales Manager
(608) 849-2778
341 W. Cottage Grove Road, Cottage Grove
SKoopmans@lakeridge.bank
What is your role at the bank?
One aspect of my job as Business Banking Sales Manager that I really enjoy is helping clients get the loans they need to grow their businesses, which furthers the bank’s mission of building prosperous communities one relationship at a time. Most of the client issues for my loan and deposit portfolios go through me, and I take pride in helping business owners and leaders with the challenges they face. Whether taking calls from our client base or reaching out to the organizations we serve, communication is the key to building strong relationships and solving client challenges effectively.
What are the best things about living and working in this area?
One of the best things about living and working in this area is that it gives me the ability to easily access both rural and urban lifestyles. I grew up on a farm, so I am familiar with and like small towns. After college, I worked in Chicago for a few years and got to appreciate urban life. Still, Chicago felt too large for me, so Madison is a better mix. It has rural areas nearby, with the city easily accessible. It also has good healthcare, four distinct seasons, and always something to do. Fall is my favorite season, and it’s beautiful here at that time of year. We also have a cottage on Lake Michigan in Door County, which we enjoy visiting year-round.
How did you get into banking as a career?
My career in banking is thanks to my oldest brother, who is 20 years older than me and has been such a wonderful mentor. He spent his entire career at the FDIC and was one of the most respected businessmen I know. Based on his referral, I started working as a bank examiner at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and spent ten years traveling mostly in the Midwest but also to both U.S. coasts as well as London a couple of times. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot, but I knew I did not want to live in Chicago long term or keep traveling so much. Interestingly, I have a nephew from Michigan that is 20 years younger than me, that based on my referral started working at the Federal Reserve Bank, too. He and his family love living in a Chicago suburb, and he only periodically travels to mostly Washington DC or New York City. Full circle moment!
Do you have a “hidden gem” or favorite thing to recommend that people should check out?
As a lover of reading, my hidden gem is the Hoopla app, which is connected to the local library system. I just sign in with my regular library card and all content is free. It is a fully online library with audiobooks, music, movies, ebooks, and more! You get eight instant reads/borrows a month and can access media from anywhere. In the first half of this year alone, I have listened/read more than 30 books. I have tried other sites like Libby (okay, but can be a long wait to get the books I want)or Audible (I canceled my Audible subscription when I started using Hoopla), but Hoopla is my favorite. That said, I do enjoy a hard-copy book too and enjoy the Bookmobile which comes to Cottage Grove once a week.
