Our Story and Credit Union Membership

Northwoods Credit Union started back in 1936 in a small trailer on paper mill property. There were 5 paper mill employees with a vision of offering fairly priced products and excellent member service to their hard working, blue collar coworkers. Over the years we’ve changed names and locations but we still focus on providing exceptional member service and fairly priced products to our members. Our vision is to build life-long relationships, one member at a time.

Humble beginnings

Northwest Paper Employees Credit Union opened in a small trailer on mill property. We grew so fast, that same year we moved into a larger space inside the mill.

A new name

We changed our name to Potlatch Employees Credit Union.

Moving up

We moved in to our newly constructed office on Avenue B.

A big expansion

The mill sold again, we changed our name to Northwoods Credit Union and expanded our membership group to include many area businesses.

Carlton expansion

We expanded our Avenue B office and opened in an office in Carlton at 199 Chestnut Ave.

Cloquet move

The Carlton Office relocated to 902 Stanley Avenue, Cloquet.

Moose Lake expansion

Our Moose Lake Office opened at 90 Arrowhead Lane.

Floodwood merger

Merged with Floodwood Area Credit Union at 224 W. Hwy. 2.

Your Community Credit Union

We’re local. From Cloquet to Moose Lake, from Stanley Avenue to Floodwood and everywhere in between, it’s our friends and neighbors who we have the privilege to serve.

Our people drive us, our values guide us but it’s our members who are our true north.

Local Pride. Local Passion.

Northwoods Credit Union offers all the same products and services as the largest financial institutions but with our dedication to the community. Our offerings are not very different but our respect for our friends and neighbors—the people who make up our credit union—is all the difference in the world.

We are owned by our members, not bottom-line driven shareholders

We offer LOW rates with LOCAL service

We provide financial consultation through Ed Grondahl of Northwoods Retirement and Investment Services

We invest in technology to keep our members with the most up-to-date, free services without sacrificing a personal, human touch

This is our home and we make sure we show up for our communities any way we can

Membership with Northwoods Credit Union

 

If you live, work, go to school, volunteer, or attend church in the following counties or townships, you are now eligible to open an account at Northwoods Credit Union!

  •     Carlton County
  •     Pine County
  •     St Louis County
  •     Townships: Feeley, Wawina, Goodland, Ball Bluff and Unorganized Township 52-22

In addition to the above, you may join NCU if you live in the same household as a current member, including but not limited to, the spouse of a member, the blood or adoptive relatives of them, and their spouses may be members. You may also join if you’re employed by one of our Select Employer Groups, listed below.

We hope that you continue to tell your family, friends and coworkers about us and our new membership eligibility. We will continue to serve the employees of our Select Employer Groups and develop new services and products based on their needs.

 

We continue to serve the employees of the following Select Employer Groups

We take great pride in providing service to you and your families and will continue to do so. Become part of our membership today!

  • Carlton County Employees
  • Carlton School District
  • Casino Pizza & Sub Shop
  • City of Carlton/Carlton Fire Department
  • City of Wrenshall / Wrenshall Fire Department
  • Potlatch
  • Cloquet Terminal Railroad
  • Cloquet Transit / LCS Coaches
  • Community Printing
  • Esko School District
  • Inter-Faith Care Center
  • RAM Mutual Insurance Company
  • Ray Riihiluoma, Inc
  • Re/Max of Cloquet
  • Sappi North America
  • Upper Lakes Foods
  • WKLK Radio Station
  • VFW of Carlton Members

The Credit Union Difference

Credit Unions are not for profit cooperatives owned by our members. We are in existence to serve our members, not a group of stockholders. Every one of our members has an equal vote in credit union elections, which are typically held at our Annual Meeting. Because we don’t have to pay a group of stockholders, we are able to pay our members a higher rate of return on their savings and charge less in interest and fees on loans and other financial products. Membership at NCU means you experience the credit union difference. 

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