Kris Culligan and her husband Todd live on a 50-acre farm in the Westby, Wisconsin area. They used to have chickens, Kris explained, after one of her sons brought home chicks from a farm supply store one day. Together Kris and Todd have five children. “He wanted 12,” Kris explained. She said she made a compromise with him that she would have one of each. So, after four boys and finally one girl…they were done. “Family is very important to me,” Kris commented.
No more chickens for Kris and her husband … and after raising her family, Kris spends her time on their acreage and working at Marine Credit Union (MCU) as a Consumer Loan Services Supervisor. She shared that three of her sons – Mike, Dan and Joe, and even her son-in-law, Aaron Clements, all used to work for MCU, too. “They were loved by everybody,” Kris said with a gleam in her eye.
Kris has been employed at MCU for 12.5 years. She started her career at MCU after moving to the La Crosse area from her hometown of Ashland, WI. She explained that her past experience was working for an architect and that she wasn’t able to find a similar type of position in the area. She was drawn to the world of finance after a self-study on mortgages when they were considering refinancing their home. “I like to study and research,” Kris shared. When she went in to apply for a loan, the banker said she knew more about mortgages than he did himself and asked if she would like to work there. Kris said that she found herself pursuing a job in the field and found that MCU was the “best fit” for her because the organization’s mission and values were in alignment with who she was personally.
Kris shared a lot of information about loan services and how the organization has changed throughout the years. Kris was instrumental in helping to create her department as it is now structured. “I like to think outside the box,” Kris shared. “I like statistics and analyzing.” She continued saying she enjoys helping her team develop their own skill sets so they can help members. “I like the deep back-office. I like giving other people credit for what’s being done. It’s not about my name in lights but knowing our members are being taken care of. Not just me – my team too. All with heart. When members call the Contact Center, something, somewhere isn’t right. We problem solve. We don’t always know what they are going through,” Kris added. “But we have a responsibility to help them.”
Kris said her life-time commitment is to help people, help her team and help the community. Kris shared her personal story, overcoming difficulties she experienced as a child and young adult. “I have a strong relationship with God. I have faith in Him and am passionate about people’s success. My heart is to help them,” she said. “I have a strong faith. I want to help people find that within themselves.”
