Press Room

(Woodbury, MN – April 17, 2019) – Ideal Credit Union has been named “Best Credit Union in the East Metro” for the third consecutive year by readers of the Stillwater Gazette newspaper. Ideal became the first credit union to operate in the community in its 165 years of existence when its Stillwater branch opened for business in December of 2016. Ideal has had a strong presence in the east metro for 93 years.

(Woodbury, MN – March 15, 2019) Rick Blood has joined Ideal Credit Union as Chief Lending Officer (CLO). Blood has over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Ideal, he worked as Chief Operations Officer (COO) for Firefly Credit Union. In his new position Blood will be responsible for the growth, quality and compliance of Ideal’s loan portfolio. He will be leading all lending activities within the credit union, including consumer and indirect loans, mortgage and real estate loans, business loan financing, and all member lending needs. The CLO will report directly to the President/CEO as a key member of the senior leadership.

(Woodbury, MN – March 7, 2019) Ideal Credit Union will host a no-cost workshop on Starting Your Own Business on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at the credit union’s Woodbury office, 8499 Tamarack Road. Join Ideal’s Business Relationship Specialist Josh Anderson and guest speaker Tyler Hilsabeck from the Washington County “Open to Business” program to learn the basics of starting your own business. Topics will include deciding whether starting a business is the right next step for you, important considerations when starting your own business, taking your first steps toward entrepreneurship, a checklist for opening a new business, financial management for your small business and more. Open to Business is a free program of the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers.

(Woodbury, MN – February 20, 2019) Ideal Credit Union has announced the promotion of Shari Rilley to Vice President of Reporting and Risk. Rilley initially joined the Ideal team in 1990 and left in 1995 to pursue another opportunity. She returned to the credit union in 2003 and has over 21 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to her promotion she served as Director of Data Intelligence and Risk. In her new position, Rilley will lead the credit union’s efforts in regards to credit union reporting (both branch and financial reporting), support and management of the credit union’s data warehouse, and support and management of various credit union risk management functions.

(Woodbury, MN – February 15, 2019) – Ideal Credit Union’s popular “Ideal Wheels” photo contest is back for another prime car buying season. This contest is open to members who own a vehicle that is presently financed, or has been financed in the past, with Ideal CU. A total of three winners will be chosen at random to receive a $50 gas card during the promotion period, which runs from February 15 to May 15, 2019.

(Woodbury, MN – January 18, 2019) – Ideal Credit Union’s popular monthly $1,000 “Use & Win” Debit Card Giveaway is back for another year of giving in 2019. Since the program’s inception in January of 2017, Ideal CU has given away $24,000 to 24 lucky members chosen at random in the “Use & Win” Debit Card promotion. Previous winners have used the funds to help pay for everything from adopting a baby to car repairs, home improvements, bills, vacations, maternity leave, tuition, study abroad programs and much more!

(Woodbury, MN – January 8, 2019) – Ideal Credit Union has returned 10% of its 2018 earnings to members through its exclusive VIP+ Program, rewarding 4,390 VIP+ members with cash dividends between $50 and $600, which were automatically deposited into members’ savings accounts in January 2019. The total payout for 2018 was $546,200. Since the program’s inception over six years ago, Ideal CU has paid out over $3.6 million to VIP+ members.

(Woodbury, MN – December 13, 2018) – Ideal Credit Union is proud to announce it has received a 2018 Minnesota Credit Union Community Impact & Outreach Marketing Award for its ongoing “Stop the Texts, Stop the Wrecks” don’t text and drive awareness campaign. Sponsored by the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN), the award program recognizes outstanding efforts in the areas of branding, community impact and outreach, digital advertising, video, and complete marketing campaigns.

(Woodbury, MN –November 20, 2018) – Ideal Credit Union’s yearly $1,000 Holiday Debit Card Giveaway is back for another four weeks this holiday season. Ideal CU has held this popular holiday promotion since 2012 and has given away $24,000 to 24 lucky members. To qualify, members with an Ideal CU personal checking account simply use their Ideal CU Debit Mastercard® or My Rewards™ Gold or Platinum Debit Card for purchases and earn a chance to win one of Ideal CU's four weekly $1,000 random drawings. Members earn 100 bonus entries into the weekly drawing when they make 25 or more purchases a week.

(Woodbury, MN – October 31, 2018) Shannon Butler, Vice President of Digital Innovation for Ideal Credit Union, has been named a CUNA Rock Star for 2018. Butler was recognized as being a versatile and visionary leader who has ambitious goals for the credit union and knows she cannot do it alone. “The people inside these walls are everything,” Butler stated. “I like to focus on making their jobs just a little more awesome.”

(Woodbury, MN – October 15, 2018) Ideal Credit Union has launched a new digital banking platform intuitively designed to enhance security and offer new and expanded features and functionality, including personalization, customizable notifications, touch ID and face recognition and much more. Ideal CU partnered with Alkami Technology based in Plano, Texas, to provide its more than 52,000 members with an innovative, omni-channel digital banking experience that is seamless, consistent and user-friendly across all devices.

(Woodbury, MN – September 20, 2018) Ideal Credit Union recently hosted two sessions of its award-winning “Money Talks” financial literacy program in July, attracting 42 students from around the metro area. The unique peer-to-peer program, led and taught by high school-age Ideal CU Student Credit Union employees, teaches students the building blocks of personal finance: budgeting, savings and investments, credit, and money management tools. Students in attendance ranged in age from 16 to 22 years and came from a number of local communities, including Champlin, Hugo, Mahtomedi, Little Canada, St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, West St. Paul, Cottage Grove, Hastings, Stillwater, Lakeland and more.

(Woodbury, MN – August 23, 2018) – Ideal Credit Union marked its 5^th Annual Community Appreciation Celebration by giving away $6,600 in cash prizes, including a $1,000 daily grand prize for adults age 18 and over, $100 a day for youth age 17 and under, and $3,000 in donations to local area food shelves. The celebration was held over the course of two weeks, starting August 7-16, 2018. Attendees enjoyed over 2,100 hamburgers and had a chance to win fun prizes, visit with kid’s club mascot Bucky Bear, and to give back to our local communities.

(Woodbury, MN – July 30, 2018) – Ideal Credit Union will give away $6,600 in cash prizes at this year’s Community Celebration, including a $1,000 daily grand prize for adults age 18 and over, and $100 a day for youth age 17 and under. Ideal’s fifth annual summer celebration will be held over the course of two weeks, starting August 7-16, 2018. Attendees will enjoy food, fun, prizes, a special visit from kid’s club mascot Bucky Bear, and a chance to give back to our local communities.

(Woodbury, MN – July 18, 2018) Faith Tholkes, Vice President of Mortgage Operations at Ideal Credit Union, has once again been named a “Super Mortgage Professional” for 2018 by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business, marking the third time she has been recognized as a leader in the industry. Tholkes was nominated for the award by clients who view her as a mortgage professional who demonstrates exceptional ability and service.

(Woodbury, MN – July 5, 2018) Ideal Credit Union has been named one of the Top 150 Workplaces in Minnesota by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Top Workplaces recognizes the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health and satisfaction. The rankings in the Star Tribune Top 150 Workplaces are based on survey information collected by Energage, an independent company specializing in employee engagement and retention. Ideal was ranked 38th on the midsize company list.

(Woodbury, MN – June 27, 2018) Joshua (Josh) Anderson has rejoined the Ideal Credit Union team as its new Business Relationship Specialist. Anderson previously served as Branch Manager of the credit union’s Hugo office, where he was responsible for developing growth strategies to ensure the branch’s success. Anderson first started at Ideal in 2011. He left in 2017 for a brief time and recently returned to take on this new role. He has 7 years of experience in the financial services industry.

(Woodbury, MN – June 5, 2018) – Ideal Credit Union member Stephanie Smidt and her family had been raising money to bring their baby daughter home from China when she was randomly selected as the winner of September’s $1,000 “Use & Win” Debit Card Giveaway. The Smidts were just nine days away from boarding a plane to pick up the newest addition to their family when they got the news. “Thank you so much Ideal CU for helping us bring our daughter home!!! This money is such a blessing to our family!”

(Woodbury, MN – May 2, 2018) – Ideal Credit Union has been named “Best Credit Union in the East Metro” for the second year in a row by readers of the Stillwater Gazette newspaper. Ideal became the first credit union to operate in the community in its 164 years of existence when its Stillwater branch opened for business in December of 2016. Ideal has had a strong presence in the east metro for 92 years.

(Woodbury, MN – April 30, 2018) Ideal Credit Union has announced the following personnel changes that have taken place over the past few months. Kari Olson has been promoted to Director of Mortgage Lending Operations. Olson joined the Ideal team in 1992 and has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. In her role she will be responsible for monitoring and managing processing, underwriting, servicing and compliance functions of the credit union’s real estate lending area.