Empeople expands public network with new Fond du Lac branch

Rachel Kroeger

Staff

March 9, 2026

FOND DU LAC – Since 1935, Market President Ryan Mueller said Illinois-based Empeople Credit Union has grown to serve “members across the country” – most recently celebrating the grand opening of a new public branch in Fond du Lac.

“We started as a John Deere employees’ credit union,” he said. “Then, we merged [with] a credit union out in Maine in 2021, and that was the point at which we broadened our charter and changed our name to Empeople.”

With 26 “micro-branches” based in John Deere facilities throughout the U.S., Mueller said for decades, Empeople “exclusively” served Deere employees and dealers.

“We then brought in our charter to include other select employer groups (SEGs) that include the communities in Maine that we serve,” he said. “Then with [our 2024] acquisition of TSB [Bank] in Wisconsin, we now have a community charter there.”

Following the aforementioned acquisition, Mueller said Empeople’s charter grew to encompass Dodge, Washington and Fond du Lac counties.

“We retained [TSB’s] people and converted them to our members,” he said, “So, we serve Wisconsin in Lomira, Theresa, Mayville and now, we have this new branch in Fond du Lac.”

Mueller said Empeople already “had a footprint in Wisconsin” prior to the acquisition through its micro-branch in Horicon – making the introduction of an additional public branch in Fond du Lac “a natural fit.”

“We knew there were a lot of people in Fond du Lac who needed financial services, and we already had members in that area through our relationship with Horicon,” he said.

Because TSB had historically offered business banking services, Mueller said when deciding to establish a new branch in Fond du Lac, Empeople specifically wanted it to be consumer-focused with its location – at 17 N. Pioneer Road – conveniently located just off Interstate 41.

“We had an opportunity to get a building in a great location,” he said. “That was a big selling point for us, [as well as] the proximity to the target member we’re really after.”

Though a few existing employees transitioned to Empeople’s new Fond du Lac branch, Mueller said hiring local residents to staff the branch was also a priority.

“The more we can recruit from the community, the better,” he said. “They know the vibe of the community and what’s important to people.”

Member-only advantages

Since its ribbon cutting in February, Mueller said the Fond du Lac community has shown interest in learning more about its “products, services and rates” Empeople offers.

“We’re definitely starting to see more folks trickle in and get excited about what we’re doing, so that’s really rewarding,” he said. “It’s rewarding for the team, too – nobody wants to sit in an empty office all day.”

Because it was founded as a company-based credit union, Mueller said for much of its history, Empeople could only recruit John Deere employees.

“We couldn’t go out into the community and get members,” he said. “We could only bring in members who were Deere employees.”

However, as the credit union amended and expanded its charter, Mueller said Empeople grew to establish publicly accessible branches in Wisconsin and Maine – affording residents in those areas the opportunity to join.

“In Moline, Illinois, where we are headquartered, we don’t have a community charter – so we still only bring in members from Deere in those areas – then we have other avenues for people to join,” he said. “They can get a mortgage with us and then become a member, or they can start working with our investment and retirement services folks and then become a member.”

Mueller said Empeople’s members enjoy benefits that banks can’t offer.

“In a credit union, the members are the owners, so our returns go to them,” he said. “That’s why we pay higher rates on deposits, [and] we have lower loan rates, generally, because that’s our way of returning that value to our member owners instead of shareholders.”

Opening a branch in Fond du Lac, Mueller said, was a “good opportunity” for Empeople to expand its publicly accessible network and for local residents to enjoy its member-only advantages.

“We want somebody who is excited about credit unions and is interested in getting great rates on their deposits and loans,” he said. “There are a lot of people like that in Fond du Lac. It’s a beautiful town [with] a good mix of younger folks, families and older folks. It’s a great community.”

Collaborative financial planning

Upon entering an Empeople branch, Mueller said one can expect a different experience than that of a traditional bank.

“We don’t have a teller line,” he said. “That’s by design. Our member relationship officers and the people in our branches are really invested in providing ongoing financial guidance to our members.”

Getting to know a member’s financial goals, Mueller said, helps Empeople’s staff tailor specific product or service combinations that best achieve their desired outcome.

“I think that’s a really unique differentiator for Empeople – certainly from big banks, but also from some of the other credit unions,” he said. “We’re really here to act as financial guidance experts for you.”

With 24/7 digital service via its “five-star” app and access to 80,000-plus ATMs across the country, Mueller said Empeople’s branches are designed to promote in-person collaboration between its financial experts and members.

“That branch experience is really about connecting with a person and having somebody who understands where you’re trying to go and helps you get there more quickly,” he said. “It’s not just about [giving] us your cash deposit – it’s much more. We want it to be a more personalized experience.”

For more information on Empeople, its services and new Fond du Lac branch, visit empeople.com.