As Marquette Bank marks its 80th anniversary, it’s not just the decades of financial services that deserve recognition, it’s the people who have built the bank’s legacy from within. Kaylen Lynch, Branch Sales Manager at the Orland Park 159th branch, is one of those people.
With nearly 40 years of service, she’s not just part of the team. She's part of the bank’s history. View her story below!
A Career That Started with a Summer Job
Kaylen joined Marquette Bank fresh out of college, intending to stay just for the summer. But what was intended to be a summer gig turned into a lifelong career.
“I thought a bank would be a nice place to work—professional, good hours, a solid atmosphere,” she said. “Marquette Bank was the most impressive bank in the neighborhood. Everyone I knew banked there.”
Growing up just two blocks from Marquette Park, Kaylen was a true neighborhood kid and Marquette Bank was the community institution everyone trusted. She started as a teller at the Pulaski branch and eventually moved to the main bank, which she recalls as hitting “the big leagues.”
Today, she manages her own branch, with a career built on growth, loyalty, and purpose.
A Bank That Became Family
Throughout her time at Marquette Bank, Kaylen’s most memorable moment wasn’t a milestone or promotion, it was personal. “Back when I was preparing to adopt my daughter from China, I was terrified. The unknowns were overwhelming,” she said. “But the staff across branches threw me a baby shower. It felt like a huge hug of support.”
Now, her daughter is 23 and the memory of that compassion still resonates. “That’s what makes this place special,” Kaylen said. “They cared. They knew me. And they showed it.”
A Caring Culture
Asked to describe Marquette Bank in one word, she doesn’t hesitate: Caring.
“They care about their customers, their employees, and their community. That’s just who they are,” she said. “And they expect the same from us.”
She sees that culture lived out every day. Not just in how they treat customers, but in how employees support one another. “You treat your coworkers like customers; if they have a problem or a question, you help, no matter how far away they are.”
Helping Customers When It Matters Most
One story that sticks with Kaylen involves a local business owner who rushed into the bank, panicked after a cyberattack compromised his systems.
“He was a mess. He had been up all night and didn’t know what to do,” she recalled. “We sat him down, walked him through everything, and helped him fix it. By the time he left, he said, ‘This is why I stay with Marquette. You know me. You care.’”
These moments, Kaylen says, are why she does what she does.
"It's terrifying for a business owner or anybody to have that happen and they don't know the first steps that they're supposed to do and they don't know how bad it's going to be. So, if you could take even part of that burden out of their hands, they're so thankful and they're just it just builds that relationship of trust, too. If you can take even part of that stress off someone’s shoulders, you’ve made their day and built real trust.”
A Small World with Big Heart
One of Kaylen’s most unexpected connections came from a customer she had been warned was “difficult.” When Kaylen introduced herself over the phone, the customer asked, “Is your father’s name Patrick? Your mother Kathleen?”
“Turns out she was at my parents’ wedding. She remembered my name and we reconnected. Thirty-eight years later, she’s not just a customer, she’s a friend. She’s spent holidays with my family. She told me, ‘You’re the only family I have now.’”
What started as a cautious phone call became a lifelong bond; proof that Marquette Bank’s roots run deep.
"A Personal Touch They Can't Compete With"
Even as the bank has grown from a few branches to 20 locations, Kaylen believes Marquette Bank hasn’t lost its identity or forgotten that neighborhood banking is about relationships.
“It still feels like a neighborhood bank,” she said. “We know our customers. Probably 80% by name. They bring in their kids to open accounts, then their grandkids. It’s generational.”
She also notes how Marquette Bank prioritizes accessibility and outreach through disaster relief efforts, Ronald McDonald House support, and local business visits where employees can meet a personal banker assigned just to them.
"We have what the big banks offer, but with a personal touch they can’t compete with.”
Thank you, Kaylen, for your incredible 38 years of service—and for being a part of what makes Marquette Bank more than a bank.
Stay tuned for more inspiring interviews and discussions with customers, neighborhood partners, and employees alike.