Kinlee Olsen, originally from Peshtigo, attended the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire to study communications and sociology, and now serves Marine Credit Union (MCU) members as a mortgage loan processor. “It’s phenomenal seeing how the company is set up,” Kinlee shared, noting that MCU’s town hall meetings are “amazing.”
“Everyone attends the town hall meetings. I was not expecting it,” she said. When she first started learning about MCU’s values and operations, she added, “It was way different reading about it and then seeing it and working here.”
Kinlee worked at the branch drive up during the Covid pandemic. “It was hard,” she said but added that she was able to help members through that time by offering them different services to help. “Cross selling,” she explained, “is about helping the member.”
Kinlee shared that she relates to the members she serves at MCU. Kinlee grew up on a dairy farm where her dad milked 50-60 cows. “All the big farms started outweighing the little farms,” she shared. “Growing up, we did not talk about money much. When I was eight years old my parents separated, and I started to understand that we didn’t have a lot of money. We made it work but didn’t really talk about it, though.”
And how does Kinlee feel her background helps her to serve MCU members? “A lot of it is just being vulnerable and putting yourself in their shoes,” Kinlee shared. “In a way it makes me grateful for what I had, have, and for my education. It helps members understand that they are not the only one.”
Kinlee said she loves the feeling she gets being able to help others and give back to the community. “Growing up I know we didn’t have a lot of money. It has helped me to recognize what I do have and to teach others,” she explained.
Her training at MCU, Kinlee added, helps her to be motivational and has taught her how to communicate with members on what to do and what not to do. She said it is a much different experience than her earlier part-time job working as a tow truck dispatcher. MCU, she said, “will even pay you to go out and help your community. I didn’t expect that.”
“I am a close follower of Christ,” Kinlee shared. “He has a plan for everyone. We may not understand why it’s happening that way.” She has faith she found a good match for herself at MCU in her role as a mortgage loan processor after starting in the branch as a member service representative. “I still wanted to help members,” she explained and now is able to do so behind the scenes with this specialized focus. “There is something about MCU,” Kinlee added. “I love everyone at MCU.”
Outside of work Kinlee and her fiancé Cameron keep busy planning their upcoming June wedding and caring for their beagle Skip and cat Taza.
Update
Since Kinlee’s Heart of MCU interview, her and Cameron were married! And, they added a new member to their little family. Skip’s son, Junior, came to live with them in August after living in an outdoor kennel his entire life. “He’s got so much puppy energy,” Kinlee said explaining that even though he’s six years old this has been his first chance at being a puppy. “He’s thebomb.com,” she added with a laugh.
