Category: Borrower Stories
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The Story of Jeff Trudeau and Concrete Washout Solutions
In 2012, Jeff Trudeau, a seasoned concrete truck operator, saw a growing environmental crisis within the industry he knew so well. Every day, concrete trucks across New England faced a major problem: the improper disposal of washout water. This water, laced with concrete particles and possessing a dangerously high pH, posed a significant environmental threat,…
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How Karla Villanueva Grew Her Gymnastics Studio with Her Credit Union’s Support
Karla Villanueva-Bernal has been passionate about gymnastics and practiced the discipline throughout her life. Her dream of opening her own gymnastics studio was finally realized in 2012 when she and her husband started what was then called Karla’s Gymnastics. Karla started teaching one class every Saturday in the All Saints Red Barn, a multi-use space…
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How Kaua’i Federal Credit Union’s Rent Relief Program Has Stabilized Local Small Businesses—And Local Culture
The COVID-19 pandemic turned Chef John Paul Gordon’s life upside down. One day, John Paul was an executive chef catering to Kaua’i’s tourists, the next day, he was unemployed. After more than 20 years of being a chef, John Paul felt like COVID-19 stole his identity away from him overnight. Despite wanting to get back…
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How Jayme Murray is Creating Food Sovereignty for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
Long before the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation was established in South Dakota in 1889, the people of the Lakota Nation sustained themselves off of the land, with the buffalo, or American bison, as its primary source of food. Over a century later, tribal ties to the sacred animal still run strong. The Cheyenne River Sioux…
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Meet David Akinniyi, the Baltimore Developer who’s Transforming his Adopted City with Each New Building
Once down on its luck, Baltimore, Maryland is now on a rebound. One entrepreneur helping to make the city a better place to live is David Akinniyi, founder and owner of the Akinniyi Group, a real estate development and leasing company. His goal is to enhance the lives of Baltimore residents by creating luxury communities…
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How Riff Raff Brewing Company Remains Down-to-Earth As Its Earth-Powered Beer Takes Off
Like most homebrewers, when Jason Cox began making his own beer in 2005, he daydreamed about one day becoming a professional brewer. Despite aspiring to make the leap from hobby brewer to full-time brewer, Jason wasn’t quite ready. At the time, he operated his own software company, but in his free time, he continued to…
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Meet DREAM, Where Students Are Family, Families Are Community, And Community Is Front-And-Center
It took a mid-career shift to get James DiCosmo back on the baseball diamond. After nearly five years working on Wall Street during The Great Recession, the former Williams College second baseman found himself wanting “to do more.” James quit his job, took some time off, and traveled; however, it didn’t take long for him…
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Meet Chung H Lee, The Small Business Owner Helping New York Metro’s Graying Residents Age In Place
It was 2014, and Chung was tired of traveling for work. The business consultant’s job required him to travel around the globe, but Chung was tired of sitting in airports and sleeping in hotels. He wanted to work closer to home and be able to spend more time with his kids. Armed with years of…
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How First Southwest Bank Is Helping Community Banks Become Better Banks
In 2013, Kent Curtis had a question to answer. As the president and CEO of First Southwest Bank, he wanted to know which direction to steer the financial institution, which has served the San Luis Valley for more than 100 years. Colorado has three persistent poverty counties, and First Southwest Bank is located in the…
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How One Detroit Credit Union is Giving its Members a Second Chance
Catherine Dorsey had always dreamed of becoming a nurse. In 2016, the Detroit resident took a step closer to fulfilling her dream by beginning medical school in Ohio. And while she worked through the demanding courses, another difficulty materialized: her rapidly accumulating bills. In order to pay for her medical school loans, car loans, and…