The Business Report: Safe Harbor Credit Union, featuring services in over 250 locations.

Mason County Press is provided free to its readers through the generous support of advertisers. Today, we feature one of those advertisers, Safe Harbor Credit Union, in The Business Report. 

LUDINGTON — What started out as a financial service for employees of the Ludington Dow Chemical Plant has turned into a credit union that services over 270 employer or community groups. Safe Harbor Credit Union was formed in 1952 as the Dow Ludington Employee’s Credit Union.

It has grown into a credit union that provides services in over 250 credit unions across the United States.

The credit union was originally housed on the grounds of the Dow Ludington plant in Ludington’s Fourth Ward. It started out in a small office and moved into its own building at 1500 South Madison Street in 1981. When the credit union’s charter was expanded to include groups besides Dow employees, the name changed to Safe Harbor Credit Union and a new building was built in 2001 at the intersection of Tinkham Ave. and Nelson Road.

“I think what makes us unique is that we are not only member driven, but our membership and leadership is completely local,” said Operations Manager Kyle Gurzynski. “We are a not-for-profit organization with a board of directors that is elected by our local membership. All profits made by the credit union go back to the members with higher rates on deposit accounts and lower rates on loan accounts, and into the community, with emphasis of giving to the schools and local charities.”

Gurzynski said one of the benefits of being part of Safe Harbor Credit Union is that it is part of Xtend Credit Union Shared Branching, a cooperative of over 250 credit unions that offer members to conduct transactions at any branch.

“We really think this is a huge advantage of being part of our credit union,” Gurzynski said. “Members are able to invest their money locally here but use services across the country, at no additional cost.”

To be eligible to join Safe Harbor, members must be belong to an employer group or other organized group which are located within 25 miles of the credit union’s main office. Groups wishing to join must provide a written request to the credit union. Qualified members may also include any individual 55 years or older who receives a pension or social security benefits and resides in or belongs to a retirement organization in Mason County or a bordering county; immediate family of credit union members; employees of the credit union and any organization whose membership is made up of individuals eligible for membership.

The credit union is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

For more information call 231-843-2323; www.safeharborcu.org.