For the Antigo Times

CoVantage Credit Union has been awarded several awards from the Wisconsin Credit Union League for its work in adult financial education, youth financial education, community service, and business practices that favor its member-owners. The awards received are:

• First Place, Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award
• First Place, Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award
• Second Place, Desjardins Youth Education Award
• Second Place, Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Member Service Award

“Social responsibility comes natural to a credit union because we’re a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by our members,” said Stephanie Bartletti, VP of Marketing. “Because we have no shareholders – just members whose financial well-being drives our decision-making – we see efforts like financial literacy, community service, and favorable business practices as a way of returning value to the communities where our member-owners live and work. We’re especially proud of our efforts that help local people make wise decisions with money that not only serve to better themselves and their families, but the overall financial health of our community.”

“Because local citizens own and control credit unions, they preserve a way of primarily benefiting themselves and the causes they care about instead of some small, faraway group of investors,” said League President & CEO Brett Thompson. “CoVantage Credit Union’s outstanding example of involvement the community is an ongoing testament of the value of choosing a locally owned credit union – because credit unions will always be beholden only to the local people who use them for their borrowing and saving.”

First place award winners advance to national-level judging among similar-sized institutions.

CoVantage Credit Union, with headquarters in Antigo, Wisconsin, has $1.3 billion in assets, serves 83,000 members, and employs 356 staff across all of their locations. Founded in 1953, the financial cooperative serves members living or working in 18 counties in Wisconsin and 2 counties in the U.P. of Michigan.