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SPIRE Credit Union - FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. - Debbie Mickelson, Division President of Electrus, a Division of SPIRE Credit Union, is retiring from a 33-year career in credit unions. She was hired by Electrus, then known as Local 292 IBEW Credit Union, in September 1993 as the Vice President of Operations. Prior to joining Electrus, she worked for five years at Honeywell Credit Union. “I was the second management person, working with our CEO, Linda Romine,” said Debbie, “As Local 292 IBEW Credit Union grew and added new products and services, the credit union needed to add a management position to oversee operations. Fortunately for me, I had the background in operations and compliance that they were looking for.” In December 2006, Linda retired, and Debbie was named as her successor. When Debbie started, the credit union operated an office in the Towle Building downtown Minneapolis. In October 2001, Electrus moved to their current location in Brooklyn Center, and rebranded themselves as Electrus Federal Credit Union to reflect the diversity of their entire membership. Their field of membership expanded to include local unions 343 and 160, electrical contractors, their employees, and three generations of family members who work in diverse professions. Electrus conveyed their commitment to its members while recognizing its heritage. Electricians and the electrical industry are their foundation. Electrus was chosen as a combination of their heritage, electrical workers, and their core value – Trust. A big “proud” for Electrus was in 2013, when the Minneapolis Saint Paul Business Journal named Electrus a “Top 25” credit union in the Twin Cites metro area in in Minnesota. In November 2019, the Electrus members voted to partner with SPIRE, becoming Electrus, a Division of SPIRE Credit Union. Debbie and her Board of Directors recognized the need to offer members expanded branch options, more ATM access, a greater offering of products and services, and enhanced technology. “There are so many touch point options now; digital banking, transfers between banks, remote deposit capture - everything available, “said Debbie, “SPIRE has been so good to me and very respectful of my position. We chose SPIRE as our merger partner because of their philosophy of giving back and improving lives. Our values of trust, respect, responsibility, commitment, and education are shared by SPIRE, too.” Between 1993 when Debbie was hired, and 2019 when Electrus partnered with SPIRE, assets went from $29.8 million to $61.9 million, or 107%; and loans grew from $10.8 million to $25.1 million, or 133%. In retirement, Debbie and her husband plan to tackle their travel ‘dream list,’ which includes Machu Picchu in Peru, and Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Arches National Parks in the United States. They also enjoy taking in the beauty of the all-American motorcycle road trip, and have a few planned for the summer. “What I treasure the most about my career is the ability to help people and helping to make their dreams come true,” said Debbie, “Credit unions make a difference in improving lives. Throughout my 28-year tenure with Electrus, I was actively involved in our electricians’ apprenticeship program. It was so fun to explain credit unions to them, take them under our wing, and help them with their financial needs going forward.” “Debbie has been truly a pleasure to work with these past few years since the SPIRE-Electrus partnership,” said Jim Ganger, SPIRE SVP and Chief Retail Officer, “Her passion for helping our membership is evident in her work. She will be greatly missed. On behalf of SPIRE, we wish her a happy retirement!” About SPIRE Credit Union: A full-service financial institution, proudly serving Minnesota and Wisconsin residents since 1934. SPIRE is committed to providing smart products, great rates and excellent service with a goal to improve the financial lives for both personal and business members. SPIRE has 21 branches throughout Minnesota. To learn more about SPIRE, please visit www.myspire.com. About Electrus, a Division of SPIRE Credit Union: Electrus Federal Credit Union (Electrus) was established in 1957 to serve Local 292 IBEW Union members. Their field of membership was later expanded to include contractors, members, retirees, and office personnel of Local IBEW Unions 343, 292, and 160. On December 1, 2019, Electrus officially merged its 5,300 members and $60+ million in assets with SPIRE Credit Union. The Electrus’ Board of Directors and members determined SPIRE Credit Union was best suited to meet the goals of the credit union and assure its long-term viability. SPIRE shares the same passion and vision as Electrus, and continues to honor the Electrus mission of serving members’ financial needs from youth through retirement.