Ed Chrisinger overseeing company’s record growth

Eric Chrisinger was born at the old Black River Falls hospital downtown and has lived in Wisconsin his entire life, so he has valuable insight into the needs of the area communities.

Those communities are lucky to have Chrisinger, who has organized volunteer work, partnerships, and donations at Co-op Credit Union, where he has been employed for 40 years, 14 as president.

“Concern for Community” is one of the seven principles of cooperatives, and “those principles guide us in everything we do,” he says. “When we give back, we’re giving back to our members and their families. And it makes it a better place to live and work.”

Some of Co-op Credit Union’s community efforts in its 10-county service area include:

• Meals on Wheels deliveries
• Volunteering at Neighborhood Food Pantry in Black River Falls
• Rotary Club and Lions Club participation
• Sponsorship and support of Jackson County Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers’ annual golf event
• Community partner of the Boys & Girls Club
• Hosting and sponsoring financial wellness events
• Supporting local community festivals and fairs
• Improvement projects for youth ballfields and hockey rinks

Employees are encouraged to take work time to volunteer, strengthening morale at the credit union. This tactic is working for the credit union, which Chrisinger says is experiencing record growth in membership and assets.

“When we give back, we’re giving back to our members and their families. And it makes it a better place to live and work.”

The help Chrisinger has performed and inspired others to do took on a whole new meaning when he sought help for his mother as her health began to decline over the past few years. He’s grateful for the level of care provided to her by Black River Memorial Hospital.

“I’m just beyond impressed with the service she’s been able to get,” Chrisinger says, “and not just the doctors and nurses. I’m talking about that plus the human side of it, the services side, finding accommodations for her during a pandemic. It couldn’t have been better.”

It’s the kind of service Co-op Credit Union seeks to emulate with its Concern for Community. “We’re very blessed to help our members and our community,” Chrisinger says.

To learn more about the work Co-op Credit Union is doing with its “Concern for Community,” check out its website.