Company Profile
Kalsee Credit Union
Company Overview
At Kalsee, we believe in building relationships and cultivating financial wellness, empowering people to focus on what matters. That’s our Mission, and it drives the way we do business, how we care for our members and community, and how we care for each other. We’re fortunate to be connected to our roots, to personally know some of the folks who helped found us and their families, while growing and moving forward so that we meet the evolving needs of our people. Our mid-century industrial aesthetic embodies the way we embrace our history and how it informs who we are in a stylish and exciting way that appeals across generations and differentiates us from other financial institutions. Our unique Aspire Financial Counseling service and Kalsee’s Employee Empowerment Program (KEEP) empower us to work in depth with members whether in a branch or at an employer, walking them through financial challenges as their partner and coach.
Company History
In 1954, employees of National Water Lift in Kalamazoo met to form the Lift Line Credit Union (named for the Lift Line product line), to help meet the financial needs of their fellow employees. Led by founder, treasurer and Account #1 holder Paul Matyas, the credit union began providing much-needed low interest loans and other financial services to its member-employees.
As the company flourished, membership continued to steadily grow and by 1965 it had grown big enough to hire its first full-time employee, Robert Moore. Moore would go on to lead the credit union for the next 40 years as its CEO, seeing it through a myriad of changes including its renaming in 1970 to the National Water Lift Employees Credit Union; to better reflect the field of membership.
Due to the growth in Kalamazoo’s small industry, the decision was made in 1977 to amend the credit union’s charter to serve companies on the south east side of Kalamazoo. Along with the change in our charter came a change in our name to Kalsee (Kalamazoo South East Employees) Credit Union. In 1978 Kalsee moved from its long-time home at National Water Lift to the newly constructed Miller Rd. facility.
Over the next 30 years, several smaller traditional, company-based credit unions merged with Kalsee looking to provide better products and services for their employees:
Interkal Credit Union – 1977
Eckrich Employees Federal Credit Union – 1981
Allied Paper Corporation Credit Union – 1984
Northwest Industrial Credit Union – 1990
Papermakers Credit Union – 1992
Simpson Lee Employees Credit Union – 2001
Battle Creek Building & Trades Employees Credit Union– 2006
Kalamazoo Gazette Employees Credit Union – 2008
Kalamazoo Building Trades Credit Union – 2017
During this period, Kalsee also partnered with several notable area companies to provide the same great products and services for their employees. Among this group of area businesses, were The Upjohn Co., Stryker Corp., Checker Motors Corp., Green Bay Packaging Inc. and Durametallic Corp. to name just a few. In 1998 Kalsee closed its Miller Rd. location and moved its home office to its current location at 2501 Millcork St. in Kalamazoo.
In 2008, Kalsee adopted a community charter, now serving anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Allegan, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, or Van Buren County.