Alumnae Profile

Mary L. Staudenmaier ’60, graduated from Mount Mary with a mathematics degree and a strong commitment to others.

“She was trained as a math teacher, but was called to learn about the justice system and be trained as a lawyer so she could reach out to others to have their rights recognized, said Marilyn Kesler, SSND, a former provincial leader for the School Sisters of Notre Dame who worked closely with Staudenmaier on many initiatives. In 1971, Staudenmaier earned her law degree from Marquette University and two years later, founded the Trust Department at The Stephenson National Bank & Trust (SNBT) in Marinette, Wis. She was appointed the bank’s first female president in 1979 and named chairman of the board, carrying on in this role until her retirement in 2013. The bank grew from $27 million to $300 million in assets under her leadership.

In late October of this year, Staudenmaier was one of five individuals honored by the Wisconsin Bankers Association for their excellence in banking, community service and civic involvement.

“Mary’s outreach was driven by personal convictions of fairness and inclusion,” Kesler said.

“These leaders have made significant contributions to Wisconsin’s banking industry and to the economic well-being of our state,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBA president and CEO. “Part of what makes them exceptional leaders is that they have inspired others to succeed in their professions and in service to their communities.”

Staudenmaier served on the Board of Trustees at Mount Mary, and served from 1998 to 2006, sharing her expertise on the Investment Committee and the Institutional Advancement Committee.

Staudenmaier served on the Women’s Leadership Institute’s Advisory Board and was instrumental during its infancy. In 1990, the Alumnae Association awarded her the Madonna Medal for Professional Excellence.

In 1997, Staudenmaier was appointed by the Wisconsin State Supreme Court to the Wisconsin State Board of Bar Examiners and became its chair in 2002. In 2002 and 2003, she was named the Person of the Year by two different area chambers of commerce.

Staudenmaier is a member of the Mount Mary Fidelis Society and in 2012 she established the Mary Staudenmaier Endowed Scholarship.

“Mary came to Mount Mary to get her education and graduated with a mission in her heart,” said Kesler, “to continually assess her reality and to respond by developing her own gifts to transform that which needed to be addressed.”

Last month, the Wisconsin Bankers Association honored Staudenmaier with a plaque on its “Wall of Excellence” at its headquarters in Madison, Wis. n

Mary Staudenmaier (center) is one of 17 bankers honored on the Banking Excellence Wall at the headquarters of the Wisconsin Bankers Association in Madison, Wis. She is pictured here with WBA President and CEO Rose Oswald Poels and WBA Board Chair Ken Thompson.