Marquette Community Federal Credit Union: About Us

Marquette Community Federal Credit Union´s history begins in 1952 at the Marquette Branch Prison. Local 684 of the Michigan Corrections Officers Association were granted a charter from the National Credit Union Administration to provide savings and loan services to the employees of the Marquette Branch Prison. The name was simple, Marquette Branch Prison Employees Federal Credit Union. Thirty-five correction officers attended the organizational meeting and selected George Somers as Board President and Cesar Urbanski and Wes Kumpula as Co-Treasurers. Credit union offices and hours of operation were quite flexible for the first several years, being run from whatever location the Treasurers occupied!

The first permanent office consisted of 160 square feet of rented space in a building located at 420 North Third Street. The rent was $30.00 per month. At that time Wes Kumpula became a full time credit union employee as Treasurer/Manager - - a post he held until his retirement in 1985.

January 1960 saw the first of several additions to the range of our charter. In that month, we expanded our membership eligibility to include all public employees in Marquette County and changed our name to Public Employees Federal Credit Union. Subsequent changes to our charter included a merger with the Marquette Co-op credit union in 1972, the absorption of the LS&I Railroad Credit Union and the Bunny Bread Employees Credit Union several years later, and lastly a change to our current community based charter in July 1978. The final charter change led to another name change. From February 1980 to May 1998 we were known as Marquette First Federal Credit Union. During this period we also acquired our first owned office space. The credit union building was erected at 827 North Third Street and consisted of approximately 2300 square feet. We remained there until June 1998, when we moved to our present location at 1230 West Washington Street. Once again we changed our name, this time to Marquette Community Federal Credit Union. In June 2003, we expanded our field of membership to include all of Marquette County.

Over the past fifty years, through several charter and name changes, as we grew to avail ourselves to a greater diversity of potential members, we have never lost sight of the reason those original thirty-five prison guards applied for a credit union charter. To establish a member owned financial institution dedicated to service to our members/owners. Though we have grown from those few with a vision to nearly 9,500 members and $36 million in assets, our commitment to member service remains paramount. Our present field of membership includes residents of the Marquette County as well as anyone working, worshiping, volunteering, or going to school in the county.

Shared Ownership... As a member of Marquette Community Federal Credit Union, you own a "SHARE" in your Credit Union. You vote for your Board of Directors. And, you share in the success of your organization. As a non-profit organization, all Credit Union earnings are returned to members in the form of dividends or other benefits after expenses and legal reserves.

Strong Common Bond... Your Credit Union is a cooperative. Our field of membership includes all people working or living in Marquette County and their immediate families. These are people you work and live near. Friends who share your interest in making the Credit Union their primary financial center.

Brighten Your Future... As an active saver at your Credit Union, you help yourself, your neighbors and co-workers to a future bright with possibilities. When you save, those dollars form a reserve from which you and other members can draw upon when the need arises. That idea of people helping people builds the cooperative spirit that is your credit union. Help yourself and your fellow members to a brighter future... get the savings habit.