Julie Knauss started her career in banking in 1973
Earlier this month, Waypoint Bank – Cozad honored Julie Knauss for reaching a remarkable milestone, marking 50 years of service. Currently in the bookkeeping department, Julie is the longest-tenured employee in the bank’s 140-year history.
Waypoint Bank – Cozad Vice President/Cashier Jessica Beisner reflected on how grateful she is for having worked with Julie for 17 of those 50 years.
“I started my banking career in Operations, the same department as Julie,” Beisner recalled. “I’ve taken several different positions since then, and am now her supervisor. I think it is incredible that Julie has been with the organization for 50 years – that kind of loyalty is unheard of these days. Julie has a welcoming and helpful attitude, and she makes everyone in her department feel appreciated.”
Julie grew up on a farm northeast of Lexington, Nebraska, as the oldest of five siblings. She, her brother, and three sisters still own the farm. They rent it out to a neighbor who grows corn, alfalfa, and soybeans.
She graduated from Lexington High School and Lincoln School of Commerce. After finishing her education, she worked for the local newspaper in Cozad for three years before joining the bank in 1973.
During the past 50 years, countless changes have occurred in the banking industry. “The biggest change I’ve seen since I started has been the technology,” Julie explained. “We didn’t have computers – we did everything by hand or machines. The first computer the bank purchased was a standalone Apple computer.” There were no networked computers, and no one had any idea that there would soon enough be something called the World Wide Web.
“My first job at the bank was posting,” Julie added. “We would post every check and deposit to the customer’s account that had come in that day on large 10-column posting machines. We also made up statements, then mailed these out with all of the actual checks and deposit slips that the customer had for that month.”
Her current job includes running web capture, making statements, ordering supplies, and helping with whatever else needs to be done.
Julie enjoys gardening, and like many of us, considers home-grown tomatoes her favorite garden produce. She also raises flowers in containers, which this year totaled about 30 containers!
Beisner said Julie has lots of stories from her travels over the years, especially from when she attends the annual Doe’s Conventions. Started in Lincoln in 1921, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Does is a service club that works in harmony with, but independent of, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.
“I have belonged to the BPO Does for about 45 years,” Julie said. “They have yearly conventions across the United States, and I have ‘Doe’ friends in Nebraska, as well as other states. There are side trips at the conventions – this is how I have seen a lot of the U.S.”
“My favorite place I traveled was from Yellowstone up to Glacier National Park and into the Canadian Rockies,” she shares. “I also enjoyed trips to Germany, Hawaii, and to most of the United States.”
Julie also loves to take photographs. “I like to take pictures of people when they least expect it, and I also take pictures of anything else that is interesting to me,” she explained. “Right now, I am using a Fuji single-use film camera and mail it away to get the pictures developed. (You can still do things the old way!) My first camera was an Ansco with a flashbulb.” (Who remembers seeing spots after the bulb flashed?)
Julie also likes 1960s–1980s rock music. During high school, she owned a transistor radio that she took everywhere with her.
Join us in congratulating Julie for her 50 years of service, a golden anniversary for our Golden Girl!
*In photo, L-R, CEO Kirk Riley, Julie Knauss, Vice President Jessica Beisner, Nebraska Market President Tim Sladek at Waypoint Bank – Cozad.