Employee Profile: Rose Espiritu

Rose Espiritu is Head Teller in Mound and has recently celebrated her 19th year at Minnesota Lakes Bank. Rose has numerous, varying responsibilities she must juggle throughout the workday. She orders and sells money to the Federal Reserve, places check orders, and issues cashier’s checks. As a back-up, she can also open new accounts and wire transfers if needed.

Rose graduated from Mound High School and has lived in Mound most of her life. Before joining MNLB, she was employed at Tonka Toys in Mound where she worked to assemble and rivet toys. Rose laughs as she says, “I was actually Rosie the Riveter!” After her time at Tonka Toys, Rose worked at Prudential Insurance in New Hope before starting her banking career.

In 1980, Mark Winter hired Rose at First National Bank of the Lake. She also worked at National Car Rental for a short stint reconciling statements. From there, Rose was employed at Marquette Bank, Beacon Bank, and, finally, Crow River State Bank (now Minnesota Lakes Bank).

In order to succeed in her role as Head Teller, Rose must use impeccable customer service skills. She says the most enjoyable part of her job is getting to know those who surround her, including her coworkers and every person who walks in the door and comes through the drive-thru. She makes a strong effort to remember facts about her customers so she has something to talk to them about during their next visit. It’s rare to not hear Rose greet a customer by name.

Things get a little more challenging when customers make requests to Rose that she cannot help them with, but she tries to make it as easy for them as possible by making them feel welcome.  “When a different employee is helping someone I know, I make sure to greet the person to make sure they feel comfortable while in the bank,” she explains.

“When I’m not working, I like to stay busy,” Rose continued. She spends her time going for walks, being with her family, participating in water workouts, going to movies, and doing crossword puzzles.

Asking Rose about her family puts a huge smile on her face. She has two daughters, one of whom lives in Mound and the other in Watertown. Rose also has a stepson she gets to see occasionally. He lives with his wife and three sons, ages 3, 12, and 15, in New Richmond, Wisconsin.

She spends lots of time with her daughters and their children. She has three grandsons who range in age from two months to two years. She takes her grandsons for walks and plays with them at the park. Rose states, “I like to find activities for us to do together. I want to keep them active and teach them to appreciate the outdoors. I love spending time with them.”