After nearly 80 years as Badger Globe Credit Union, the Neenah-based financial cooperative is now Linden Credit Union.
Founded in 1947, the credit union began when nine Badger Globe mill workers pooled $9 to establish a financial cooperative for employees and their families.
In 2025, membership expanded to include anyone who lives, works or attends school in Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Outagamie, Waupaca, Waushara or Winnebago counties. As the credit union began serving a wider community, the Badger Globe name no longer clearly communicated who was eligible to belong.
“Badger Globe will always be an important part of our story,” said Annie Hutter, President and CEO of Linden Credit Union. “But as our credit union has grown, we needed a name that made it clear more people could belong here. Linden allows us to welcome new members and communities while holding onto what has mattered from the beginning: people helping people.”
The Linden name draws inspiration from a tree with strong ties to both place and community. The American linden, also known as basswood, is native to Wisconsin, and linden trees have long been associated with places where people gather and connect. Deeply rooted and continually growing, the tree reflects the credit union’s vision for its future: grounded in where it came from while growing alongside the people and communities it serves.
For longtime members, the new name does not mean a new credit union.
“Linden is a new name, not a new credit union,” Hutter said. “We are still member-owned, our decisions are still made locally, and members will continue to find the same familiar people ready to help. Our name and look have changed, but the heart of this credit union has not.”
Along with its new name, Linden Credit Union has introduced a new visual identity and website at lindencu.org. The website makes it easier for current and prospective members to find information, explore their financial options and connect with the credit union.
What began with nine people and $9 in 1947 remains a member-owned cooperative built around a simple idea: When people come together, there is more room for everyone to grow.
