press release archives
United Federal Credit Union to Purchase Former Whirlpool Corporate Office
4/18/2019 | Team United
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. – United Federal Credit Union (United) announced that it will purchase the former Whirlpool Corporation office building at 150 Hilltop Road in St. Joseph, Michigan. United will use the approximately 80,000-square-foot building as its new headquarters to support the credit union’s long-term corporate growth plans, and to serve as a multi-functional space for current employees.
“We are excited about what this new headquarters will mean for the future of the credit union,” said United President/CEO Terry O’Rourke. “We will be able to bring more teams together in one space, and have the room to attract new talent and create a first-class working environment for our outstanding employees.”
“It has been our pleasure to work with the city, Cornerstone Alliance and United Federal Credit Union to create a solution that is beneficial to our community,” said Jeff Noel, vice president of Communications and Public Affairs, Whirlpool Corporation. “Everyone’s goal was to make sure the building would continue to support jobs in the area.”
United and Whirlpool worked with Cornerstone Alliance to establish a special Commercial Rehabilitation District for the property as a way to return it to a productive employment center. The recommendation was supported by the city of St. Joseph and the Berrien County Board of Commissioners.
“This is the perfect outcome for an economic development project,” said Rob Cleveland, President and CEO of Cornerstone Alliance. “United and Whirlpool have worked tirelessly to find a solution that worked for both companies, which will create employment opportunities and return the building to its highest and best use. United has the option to expand in many different locations in other states. From the start, the City of St. Joseph has supported United’s vision for this project that will pay tremendous dividends for the community.”
Cornerstone Alliance is Berrien County’s lead economic development organization, primarily focused on increasing employment opportunities, capital investments and expanding the local tax base in Michigan’s Great Southwest. Since 2017, Cornerstone Alliance has initiated projects that created more than 300 new jobs, led to more than $80,000,000 in new investment and launched 38 small businesses.
“We are grateful for the partnership with Cornerstone Alliance, and the leadership of the city of St. Joseph and the Berrien County Board of Commissioners to help get this purchase completed,” said O’Rourke. “The collaboration between everyone involved made it possible for us to reinvest in the community in a big way.”
Construction and redesign of the Hilltop building is expected to take twelve months. United will continue operations at its current corporate office in St. Joseph at 2807 South State Street as well as the corporate office in Niles, Michigan on South 11th Street.
About Whirlpool
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading major home appliance company, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 92,000 employees and 65 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2018. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world.
About Cornerstone Alliance
Cornerstone Alliance is a non-profit, investor-governed economic development organization primarily focused on increasing employment opportunities, private sector capital investments and the local tax base in Michigan’s Great Southwest with specialized business services offered in economically distressed areas.
