Page 15 - Michigan Credit Union League: 2018 Contact Q2
P. 15
RECONNECT WITH THE CREDIT
UNION SPIRIT IN MICHIGAN’S
CHERRY CAPITAL
By Katlyn Lindstrom
As the credit union landscape changes, it’s important to balance personalized member service
with technological advancement. In Traverse City, credit unions are finding success by focusing
on the member experience as a barometer for evolutionary success.
“We ask ourselves in every situation, ‘What’s best for the member?’” said Spencer Riegler, branch
manager of Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU). “Whatever the answer is, we find a way to get there.”
Credit unions in Traverse City are growing, with business loans up 21.7 percent and total assets
up 7.3 percent in 2017. These increased assets, along with membership growth, have allowed
the area’s credit unions to take advantage of the industry’s technological advancements in order
to better serve their members.
When Members Credit Union and Bay Winds Federal Credit Union merged in 2015 to form 4Front
Credit Union in Traverse City, it forged a partnership that, as a unit, offered them resources they
didn’t have separately — resources that can create a stronger member experience.
“The partnership allows us to capitalize investments in technology,” said David Leusink, CEO at 4Front.
“We went to an online banking platform we dismissed years earlier because it was too expensive,
but [after the partnership] we could afford to make a significant investment in infrastructure.”
Leveraging member engagement and technological advancements in the industry will take center
stage at the Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL) and CU Solutions Group® (CUSG) 2018 Annual
Convention & Exposition (AC&E). The event, returning to Traverse City, will engage credit union
professionals from across the state and equip them with the resources necessary to lead the
way in an ever-changing industry.
As Traverse City itself experiences continued growth and success, the area is a perfect location
for credit unions to discuss how they can evolve.
SECOND QUARTER 2018 I CONTACT 15
