West Salem's Jacobson retires after 39 years

Northwestern Financial Review, Jan 24, 1998

Emmanuel "Jake" Jacobson, vice president/cashier of the Union State Bank of West Salem, retired Dec. 31 following a 39-year career in banking. Jacobson was West Salem's "Business Person of the Year" in 1992.

Jacobson's banking career began at First National Bank of Minneapolis in 1955 as a proof machine operator. He was transferred to the proof department at the First Southdale Bank in the Southdale shopping center when it opened in 1956.

From 1958 to 1960 Jacobson served in the Finance Corp of the U.S. Army at Fort Bliss, Texas. After his discharge, he returned to Southdale as chief clerk. In 1963 he became cashier of the new Moorhead (Minn.) State Bank, and in 1965 he returned to Southdale as auditor. Jacobson also worked at Southwest Fidelity State Bank in Edina and then served as auditor for the Metropolitan Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Jacobson began his Wisconsin banking career with the Coulee State Bank in La Crosse in 1973 as cashier. He joined the Union State Bank in West Salem in 1976 as cashier and was promoted to vice president/ cashier in 1980, a position he has held for 17 years.

Since building his home in West Salem in 1977, Jacobson has been treasurer of the West Salem Business Association for 20 years. Jacobson was a member of the Wisconsin Bankers Association's operations committee and he taught American Institute of Banking classes in La Crosse.

He has been a Chartered Bank Auditor since 1969. He graduated from the School of Bank Administration in 1986.