Thank You for Celebrating 100 Years of CU Impact at the Capitol!

As part of Impact 25: CU Day at the Capitol, nearly 200 advocates and supporters rallied at the State Capitol last week to celebrate 100 years of credit unions strengthening communities and securing futures one member at a time. 

Minnesota Credit Union Network President and CEO, Mara Humphrey spoke of the historic nature of this 100-year milestone and the contributions credit unions have made to Minnesota’s economy over the past century. 

Humphrey reflected on the six pillars of credit unions which make them so impactful in Minnesota: “partnership, community, excellence, innovation, respect, and value.”

​Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, Senate GOP Leader Mark Johnson, and Senator Judy Seeberger addressed attendees. Speaker Emerita Hortman reflected on the contributions of Minnesota’s credit unions, thanking them for “being such good financial citizens of the state and encouraging financial literacy not only amongst your members but also the work you do with high school students, which is especially inspiring.” Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson reflected on the bipartisan support for credit unions, remarking that, “Republicans and Democrats are working on good fiscal policies that could get votes on both sides of the aisle.” The program underscored the strong support for Minnesota credit unions across both sides of the aisle and demonstrated credit unions and their success as a priority for the Legislature. 

​Additionally, Governor Tim Walz joined the event and gave an address at the rally. The Governor spoke in strong support of Minnesota’s credit unions, underscoring their positive contributions to local economies across the state. In praising the model of credit unions serving as forces for good in Minnesota, Governor Walz told credit unions that, “You are the pathways to financial stability and financial freedom in your communities.” 

Several Minnesota credit unions were represented in the program, including Blaze Credit Union, TruStone Financial Credit Union, and Arise Community Credit Union. Arise, Minnesota’s newest chartered and first and only Black-led credit union, represents a bright future for credit unions and their positive impact on the lives of Minnesotans, empowering individuals and communities to build wealth. 

Photos of the event can be viewed on our Google Photo Album.

The celebration of 100 years of credit unions will continue during ACCELERATE 25, April 21–23 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake. You won’t want to miss this landmark event celebrating a century of service and community impact for Minnesota Credit Unions.