Blaze Credit Union

Blaze Credit Union
FormerlyTwin City Co-ops Credit Union (1934-2008)
Spire Credit Union (2008-2024)
TypeCredit unions in the United States
IndustryFinancial services
PredecessorHiway Credit Union
Founded1934; 92 years ago (1934)
HeadquartersFalcon Heights, MN
Number of locations
29
Area served
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area
  • State of Minnesota
  • State of Wisconsin
ProductsSavings account; Checking account; Health savings account (HSA); Individual retirement account (IRA); Vehicle loans; Personal & credit loans; Business loans; Mortgages; Investment services
Total assetsUSD$4 billion
Members255,000
Websiteblazecu.com

Blaze Credit Union is a credit union that was founded as the Twin City Co-ops Credit Union in 1934. Since that time it has undergone several mergers and name changes and took the name Blaze Credit Union in 2023. The credit union is headquartered in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, serves over 255,000 members, and controls more than $4 billion in assets.

History

Blaze was created in 1934 by Edgar Archer, an employee of the Midland Cooperative Oil Association. Edgar Archer needed a loan to be able to pay his debts, so he started a credit union. By February 1934, enough of his fellow workers agreed, and seven of them applied for a certificate of the organization. Blaze was officially incorporated on March 13, 1934. In 2011, Blaze operated ten branches in the Twin Cities area. In July 2014, the organization – then named Spire Federal Credit Union – was voted to change from a federally-chartered into a state-chartered financial institution, and was renamed Spire Credit Union. In 2014, Greater Minnesota Credit Union (GMCU) merged with Spire, adding six branches in the greater Minnesota area. In 2017, Peoples Community Credit Union members approved a merger with Spire, adding a branch location in Hopkins, Minnesota. In 2019, Energy Services Federal Credit Union members approved a merger with Spire, adding a branch location in St. Cloud, Minnesota. In 2019, Electrus FCU voted to merge with Spire. In 2021, Diversified Credit Union voted to merge with Spire, adding a branch location in Waseca, Minnesota. Also in 2021, Central Hanna Employees Credit Union voted to merge with Spire, adding a branch in Keewatin, Minnesota. In 2022, HBI Employees Credit Union voted to merge with Spire. Blaze operates a total of 29 branches.

In 2023, it was announced that Spire Credit Union and Hiway Credit Union were planning on merging, with Spire President and CEO Dan Stolz becoming CEO and Hiway President and CEO Dave Boden becoming President of the new company. Hiway approved the merger in September with the merger being finalized on January 1, 2024. The merged company rebranded as Blaze Credit Union and created the fourth largest credit union in the state of Minnesota.

Partnerships

Blaze Credit Union has multiple active partnerships with many local organizations including the St. Paul Saints (Blaze Home Run Porch, Blaze Sun Deck, Official Checking Account), Minnesota Wild (Official Credit Union, helmet sponsor) the St. Cloud Rox (Official Checking Account), Ogilvie Raceway (Blaze Sky Deck), and the Minnesota United FC (Official Credit Union).

References

  1. ↑ "Twin City Co-ops credit union now Spire | Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal". Archived from the original on 2011-02-19. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  2. ↑ "SPIRE & Hiway will Rebrand as Blaze Credit Union". Blaze Credit Union. 2023-11-17. Archived from the original on 2025-01-20. Retrieved 2026-10-23. As Hiway Credit Union and SPIRE Credit Union approach their legal merge date, the Twin Cities-based credit unions shared their much-anticipated new name and brand: Blaze Credit Union.
  3. ↑ "SPIRE CREDIT UNION Financial Reports". www.ibanknet.com. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  4. ↑ "About SPIRE". MySpire.com. Spire Credit Union. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  5. ↑ "Our Story - SPIRE Federal Credit Union". Spire Federal Credit Union. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
  6. ↑ "GMCU To Merge With SPIRE". Credit Union Journal. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
  7. ↑ "Peoples Community Credit Union Merges/Partners with SPIRE". SPIRE News. 2017-06-30. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  8. ↑ "Energy Services Federal Credit Union in St. Cloud Merges/Partners with SPIRE". MySpire. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  9. ↑ "Members Vote to Merge; CU Will be 'Division' of SPIRE". CUToday. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  10. ↑ Miller, Allison (25 February 2021). "DCU in Waseca and Minneapolis merges with SPIRE Credit Union". Southernminn.com. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  11. ↑ "Central Hanna Employees CU Votes to Merge with SPIRE". MySpire. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  12. ↑ "HBI Credit Union votes to merge with SPIRE". CUInsight. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  13. ↑ "Hiway Members Approve Merger with SPIRE | Blaze Credit Union | MN". blazecu.com. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  14. ↑ Kumar, Kavita (2024-01-03). "Spire, Hiway credit unions close merger, rebrand under 'Blaze' name". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Archived from the original on 2024-01-03. First announced last summer, the merger brings together two Minnesota credit unions to become the state's fourth-largest credit union with more than $4 billion in assets and serving 250,000 members.
  15. ↑ "Blaze and Minnesota Wild, Proud Partners". Blaze Credit Union. 2025. Archived from the original on 2026-05-17. Retrieved 2026-10-23. Blaze is the Official Credit Union of the Minnesota Wild. Show your love for the State of Hockey with an exclusive Blaze Minnesota Wild Visa® Debit or Credit card.
  16. ↑ "Minnesota Wild and Blaze Credit Union Announce Multi-year Home Helmet Partnership". NHL.com. St. Paul, Minn. (published 2025-09-09). 2025-10-13. Archived from the original on 2025-10-13. Retrieved 2026-10-23. The Minnesota Wild and Blaze Credit Union today announced a multi-year partnership as the team's new home helmet partner. The Blaze Credit Union logo will appear exclusively on the Wild's home helmets starting this season. Blaze Credit Union is the Official Credit Union of the Minnesota Wild.
  17. ↑ "SPIRE Sun Deck Added to CHS Field". Ballpark Digest. 2019-04-23. Retrieved 2021-02-19.