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Charles Schaeve, senior vice president of Farmers and Merchants Bank, is ready to retire after a 35-year career in banking. But not until the completion of one more big project.

Schaeve, 58, will retire at the end of the month, following the completion of a $1-million dollar remodeling project that has changed most of the bank’s entire interior. For Schaeve, it is the perfect time to put an end to his 30 years at Farmers and Merchants Bank.

“I am looking at almost 35 years in banking, and I wanted to get the remodeling project done,” Schaeve said. “With a major project finished, it will be kind of a high point, and that is a good time to retire.”

Schaeve came to Tomah in 1978 after spending four years at Affiliated Bank in Madison. He said that after one 10-minute interview with the bank president and board of directors, he was hired at Farmers and Merchants Bank where he is involved in a lot of behind the scenes work. He has worked with processing transactions, ATMs, data processing, consumer and commercial lending, along with building projects.

“A lot of my work is project oriented,” Schaeve said. “I liked all of what I did in banking. The building projects, data processing, and even budgeting, but I’ve really enjoyed the people.”

Schaeve said that he is looking forward to golfing, traveling, and tending to some projects around the house in retirement. He also said that he will miss working with people at Farmers and Merchants Bank. His co-workers and customers, he said, were the best part about his job.

“I have enjoyed helping people obtain what they needed in the financial portion of their lives,” Schaeve said. “I have enjoyed working with people -- the employees and customers.”