A Riverwest Currents Series
Story by Vince Bushell, Photos by Becky Vinz
Tammy Ragsdale answers the phone with a smile.
From their web site Our Milwaukee describes their group as follows:
“Our Milwaukee is a business alliance that advocates for locally owned businesses that provide a genuine, quality experience – in celebration of our community’s unique character.
“In order to make Milwaukee a more sustainable community, our goal is to build market share for locally-owned, independent businesses by increasing awareness about the personal and community benefits of choosing local.”
This month our focus is on Our Milwaukee founding member Brewery Credit Union.
As a member of BCU with many accounts with them, including a mortgage, savings, car loan, business accounts and home equity loan, I am happy to say that BCU is a friendly and trustworthy place to do business. And of course, as a credit union, BCU is a member-owned, not-for-profit institution. They do have your interest in mind. That extends to their starting a “Fast Cash” service for those in need of a short term loan, but without the predatory rates of payday loan centers. BCU claims to save their customers 50 to 60% when compared to payday lenders’ rates. Their rates for car loans and mortgages are highly competitive.
Brewery Credit Union is proud to be a founder of Our Milwaukee and is proud to see such a strong growth in its first year. Our Milwaukee requires that all business members participate in community activities and assist local charities. These actions are helping to preserve Milwaukee’s unique character and make it a great place to live. BCU’s mission to support the local community includes free seminars on monetary issues such as mortgages and how to balance your checkbook.
Brewery Credit Union is the only credit union that is a Community Development Financial Institution in southeastern Wisconsin and strongly believes in the community it serves. “We feel it is very important Milwaukeeans know that for every one dollar you spend at a locally-owned business, more than 68 cents remains in Milwaukee. That has an even larger impact now in these economic times,” says Jim Schrimpf President of BCU.