REGIONAL federal credit union has gained a reputation for their friendly atmosphere and the feeling members have when they walk through the doors of being treated as part of a family. With 13 years at the credit union, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development Kevin Kosek, is proud of the strides REGIONAL has made in cultivating that familial atmosphere, and how they are extending that to their members with small businesses in the area.
"Most banks in the area want to target those larger loans. What we want to do is help those small businesses that don’t need a million-dollar loan. Our niche is right now is loans in the $25,000 to $250,000 range. REGIONAL does business real estate, equipment and auto loans, as well as lines of credit. We are your full-service business lending provider," explained Kosek.
REGIONAL started its business lending program a few years ago and has seen steady growth ever since. Kosek is enthusiastic about the growth of the program and how much it can offer to business owners in Northwest Indiana.
"We want small business owners to know that REGIONAL is your business credit union. For too long, people have thought of credit unions as just savings institutions, but we're so much more than that. REGIONAL has been in business for almost 60 years, and while our business lending began not too long ago, a lot of people don't know that they can come to us for home equity loans and for mortgages. Those we've been doing for years." said Kosek.
The size of REGIONAL is also an advantage for any business owners that need business lending, as members can look forward to a quick and easy process that avoids the confusion and impersonal nature of larger institutions. The person you deal with, whether it is Kosek or another team member at REGIONAL, is the person you deal with throughout the entire lending process.
"All the financial institutions say their service is spectacular. Our service does not stop there, our service is at the next level of truly special. When you walk through our doors, our team knows you," said Kosek. "We know our members’ names, their stories—we have a relationship with them. We want to nurture that relationship, which is one of the things we do well here and is one of our secrets to success. Our number one job is to serve the member and serve them well and above expectations."
"I come from a family of entrepreneurs and I understand what it is like to be the one signing the checks. When you're coming in for a loan, you're either in a growth stage of your business or you need cash [for help]. I treat every loan referral I receive as if it were my only one. That's how special it is to me," explained Kosek earnestly.
This sincere care and dedication can also be seen in the thousands of dollars that REGIONAL and its team members and members give back to the community each year.
"We don't just operate in the community; our people live here, they have their kids going to school here, they're on PTO's, they serve on local boards. We're actually in the community every day, and our whole mission is to help and educate the populace on benefits of joining a credit union," said Kosek.
With many multigeneration member families, REGIONAL has certainly proven its ability to go above and beyond for its members. For some, that relationship can start early. Kosek cited one member who joined their student credit union program, and with the help of REGIONAL was able to purchase equipment for an after-school business he was starting. After graduation, he was able to take out further loans to grow this business and has seen continued success and growth thanks to the loan options and the help REGIONAL was able to provide. Without a financial institution like REGIONAL to take notice and support local small business owners like this individual, surely there would be many lost opportunities for success across Northwest Indiana.
So, whether you are looking for business auto loans, equipment loans, working capital line of credit, commercial real estate lending, or Small Business Administration loans (including Express, 7a & 504 loans) REGIONAL is your one-stop-shop to finance your business needs. Even refinancing current loans, whether auto, business, or home, are made easy with the familial approach of the team at REGIONAL.
To learn more about Regional Federal Credit Union's Business Lending, click here or contact Kevin Kosek at 219-548-6805/kkosek@regionalfcu.org for more info.