CoVantage to Hold Open House on Monday

When customers visit the renovated and expanded CoVantage Credit Union headquarters, Antigo Branch Manager Katie Devore hopes they see more than bricks and mortar.

She hopes they feel welcomed.

The credit union has grown from a basement room in a one-time gas station into a financial giant, with over 115,000 members and $1.8 billion in assets. But it retains its Antigo roots, apparent in the addition of 24,000 square feet to its Sixth Avenue headquarters, including that third floor.

Devore led a walk-through of the new areas this morning, pointing out the spacious areas, meeting rooms and as-yet unfilled offices that, for the first time in years, provide some elbow room to the 200-plus staffers who work in the building.

But there are quiet touches as well, including clever names – chosen by employees – for the various meeting rooms, and professionally produced photographs taken by employees of some of their favorite scenes, many taken in and around Antigo.

“We want this to be an inviting place,” Devore said.

The public is invited to view that third floor, plus other improvements and additions undertaken in a year-long project, at the open house slated from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday.

There will be refreshments, door prizes, giveaways and building tours.

The project to add the third story at the Clermont Street and Sixth Avenue location started in 2018, transforming the two-story headquarters into even-larger office building.

The additions total 24,000 square feet and bring the headquarters to a total of 72,000 square feet. General contractor for the project was Miron Construction, with MartinRiley as the architect.

The CoVantage headquarters houses the Antigo branch staff that members see, such as tellers, commercial lenders, member specialists, and mortgage loan officers, and also serves the back-office operational functions that support all 18 CoVantage branches. That includes the full service contact center, information technology, card services, accounting, human resources, lending operations, administration, and more.

CoVantage has been experiencing substantial growth in offices, services, assets, and employees. Five years ago, the Antigo flagship office housed 146 employees, today the Antigo staff totals 205 individuals; and with the additional square footage will be able to accommodate up to an additional 100 staff in the future.

CoVantage soon expects to have 400 employees spread across its fleet of branches in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The growing financial cooperative has over $1.8 billion in assets.

Source: Antigo Daily Journal