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Eight years ago, my wife was diagnosed with
breast cancer. We had just moved to Milton
and we really didn’t know anyone. I was
surprised and overwhelmed at how welcoming
and supportive the community was. It’s almost
like being on a college campus. Other places
have a sense of anonymity but here, wherever
you go, there are friendly faces and you stop
and chat. It’s a wonderful place to live.
A few years ago, my wife and I completed the
Wisconsin Ironman. The journey started as
part of my MBA thesis on goal setting, and I
made this one of my personal goals. At that
time, I couldn’t swim back and
forth one lap in the pool! I
wasn’t a complete rookie—I
had run a few marathons—
but I had no idea what I was
really getting into. You start
at 7:30 am and need to finish
by midnight. We crossed the
line at 11:05 pm. It felt great.
My wife did another after. Me,
one and done, crossed off the
bucket list! But what an
experience.
HOW DID I
GET HERE?
s u c c e s s • c h a l l e n g e s • l i f e l e s s o n s • e d u c a t i o n • c a r e e r • f a m i l y • i n s p i r a t i o n s
Find a good mentor. Someone willing to put in the
time with you. I am forever indebted to my father,
Tom Wilkinson, and RD Boschulte who have been a
source of wisdom and friendship throughout my
career. Both are retired now, but we still get together
for lunch every few months.
1
2
3
My father and grandfather were bank
presidents, so growing up I thought it was just
what you were supposed to do! Still, I wasn’t
entirely certain what path was right for me. I
somewhat fell into a job as a teller in Madison
right out of college and started a
management training program shortly after.
The bank offered a lot of opportunities to
learn and grow. Before long, I knew I was on
the right track.
A big part of our job is networking. Forward
Janesville provides an avenue to that, as well
as exposure to educate others about what
First Community can offer. It has tremendous
resources for someone new to the area to
get to know
others and get
plugged in—
from golf
outings and
luncheons to
the annual
dinner. The
speakers have been just awesome in recent
years. It’s also refreshing to see local
communities, like Janesville, Milton, Edgerton
and Beloit, working so closely together.
•
Before I came to First Community in Milton, I
ran a family photo processing and portrait
business in the Madison area. We had five
locations. It was before the digital age. I think
having been a small business owner, and
particularly doing so in an industry that was
rapidly changing, helps me better understand
the challenges small business owners face.
Today, working with business owners and being
able to help them achieve their goals is
incredibly rewarding.
{
LIFE LESSONS
}
SUMMER 2016
•
15
We love to go up north to our family cabin in
Eagle River and have made so many great
family memories there. My daughter Parker is
13 and my son Jack is 17. Jack will be a
freshman in college soon, so spending time
together means so much to me. The beach
another favorite. We spend as much time as
we can in the Bonita/Fort Myers area,
escaping winter for a bit!
BRENDON
WILKINSON
President
First Community Bank
Personal goals are as important as career goals.
It is all too easy to get off balance. Be sure to
set goals on both sides and work equally hard
on achieving each. They feed each other.
For those who are just starting out, be patient
and listen. Building a career takes time. If you
work hard, are honest and do what you feel is
the right thing, the rest will take care of itself.
•
{
EDUCATION
}
2008-2010
Management, Banking and Finance
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduate School of Banking
Madison, Wisconsin
2005-2007
Executive MBA, Business Administration
University of Wisconsin-Madison
School of Business
Madison, Wisconsin
1989-1993
St. Norbert College
DePere, Wisconsin
{
WORK EXPERIENCE
}
2007-PRESENT
President
First Community Bank
Milton, Wisconsin
1999-2007
President / Owner
Photo Express, Inc.
Madison, Wisconsin
1993-1999
Assistant Vice President
M&I Bank
Madison, Wisconsin