We are a not-for-profit financial institution committed to having your best interest at heart.
Our Values
We value our employees, members and the communities we serve, sharing their commitment to honesty, integrity and respect for the hard-earned dollar. By building strong relationships, we strive to be our members’ trusted financial advisors, navigating customized solutions to support their financial goals. Simply put, we are people helping people.
We owe our longstanding relationships with our members to the commitments we make every day. At Fort Financial, we are committed to:
- Treating each member with respect and professionalism
- Being knowledgeable, truthful, and accurate
- Recommending the best solution for each member
- Making it easy to do business with us
- Maintaining privacy with each transaction
- Following through with all our commitments
Our Story
Fort Financial Federal Credit Union began in 1946 when the Bureau of Federal Credit Unions approved the charter for Salisbury Axle Federal Credit Union. Just two years later, membership was at 591 and growing. By 1960 membership had almost doubled and for the next several decades up to the present time, this number would rapidly increase.
In 1977, the credit union’s name was changed from Salisbury Axle Federal Credit Union to Dana Corporation Federal Credit Union. The following year, a new Fort Wayne, Indiana facility was built just south of the plant on Spring Street.
The credit union officially became Fort Financial Federal Credit Union in December of 2002, and the new name was adopted at the 56th annual meeting in February 2003.
As the credit union continues to grow, a new corporate headquarters opened January 3, 2023 on the northwest side of Fort Wayne, at the intersection of Lima and Wallen roads. A new branch on the northeast side of Fort Wayne, at the corner of Maplecrest and Saint Joe Centers Roads, opened on November 14, 2022, while the credit union's newest branch at the corner of Illinois Road and Jefferson Blvd. in Fort Wayne open April 24, 2023. These new branches will be configured to better serve the changing needs of our members.
Currently, Fort Financial operates 9 branches in Indiana, Mississippi and North Carolina.
Leadership
Executive Management Team
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Steve R. Collins | President & CEO |
| J. A. Arnold | Senior Vice President & Chief Lending Officer |
| Mike Stratton | CFO & Vice President of Strategic Services |
| Rob Anderson | Vice President of Information Technology |
| Jessica Davis | Vice President of Member Experience |
Board of Directors
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Jeff Leichty (Chair) | Indiana Tech |
| Shelly Musolf (Vice Chair) | Indiana Tech |
| Tammy Long (Treasuer) | TransUnion |
| Sarah Delgadillo (Secretary) | Wabash City Schools |
| Bryan Sharp | PERRY proTECH |
| Steve Collins | Fort Financial |
| George Eldridge (Emeritus Board Member) | Retired (Dana Corp.) |
Supervisory Committee
| Name | Organizaton |
|---|---|
| Karen Platt (Chair) | Retired (Fort Financial) |
| Val Eakins | Ivy Tech |
| Elise Faber | Saint Francis/DWD CPAs and Advisors |
| Leah Stoffel | Saint Francis/FORVIS |
Associate Board Members
| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Darius Darling | Brotherhood Mutual |
| Matt Carsten | Carsten Oil |
| Greg Martin | Dana Corp. |
Branch Management
| Assistant Vice Presidents/Regional Managers | Branches |
|---|---|
| Kristie Gerke | Fort Wayne & Churubusco |
| Amber Jordan | Auburn, Angola, Corinth & Gastonia |
| Branch Managers | Branch |
| Robert Kirkland | Corporate (Lima Road) |
| Susie Ray | Angola |
| Amber Jordan | Auburn |
| Kelley LeBlanc | Corinth |
| Allen Schilb | Dupont Road |
| Lori Thomas | Gastonia |
| Angela Smithley | Parkwest |
| Rhea Love | Maplecrest Road |
