​​About Us

We care about the community, the environment, and you.

At Kindred, we believe you have a better choice for banking 

We believe values and faith are central to life, and financial decisions are not values-neutral. In fact, we think financial decisions can impact the world in amazing ways—so our values are integrated into everything we do. We call this Banking with Purpose. You have a better choice for banking—a place where your money can be a force for good. Our “Welcome to Kindred” video explains more about how we offer Banking with Purpose.

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Our purpose

Providing cooperative banking that connects values and faith with finances, inspiring peaceful, just, and prosperous communities.

Our values

Integrity, compassion, and stewardship are woven into everything we do. It’s how we treat each other as staff, members, and in community.

Our promise

We bring our Purpose to life in the communities we serve by committing to tangible impacts in the areas of affordable housing, climate action, food security, and more. 

Our Roots

Kindred has been in the making for over 50 years and it all began when a group of Mennonites had a radical vision to see mutual aid put into faithful practice—extending access to financial services across our community. On March 21, 1964, twenty-two Waterloo County Mennonites got together and deposited $22 in a cash box with the idea of creating a credit union to serve members of their faith community. This group of Mennonites was actively looking for ways to live out their faith in the modern world. Their desire was to apply their Anabaptist beliefs to the practical ways they carried out business in the broader society. And that is how Waterloo County Mennonite Credit Union was born, eventually becoming Mennonite Savings and Credit Union. 

We recognized that our shared values were not limited to our faith communities, so in 2016 we became Kindred Credit Union. Today we welcome all Ontarians who seek values-based banking to share in our common purpose. We continue to live out our commitment to mutual aid through the products we offer, the services we provide, and our connections to partners who share our values and work to impact the world in amazing ways. 

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24,000+

Members

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56

Years in the making

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200+

Employees

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$1.2 Million

Invested back into the community

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As a successful financial cooperative, Kindred has created a community of thousands of members across Ontario! The relationships we hold in partnership with our members allow us to move beyond financial transactions to meaningful engagement with our financial services peers, faith groups, and community partners on a range of interconnected themes that affect us all.  Find out more about how we’re Engaging our Community.

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Kindred is a Certified B Corporation

B Corps are a new type of company that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. We’re committed to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

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Part of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values

Kindred is pleased to be part of this global movement that’s committed to advancing positive change in the banking sector, using finance to deliver sustainable economic, social, and environmental development.

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And, we’re a Living Wage Champion

Paying a living wage aligns with our values and it’s a critical investment in our collective prosperity. We believe our members would expect nothing less of us in caring for our staff members and advocating for change. 

We are currently seeking candidates to fill upcoming vacancies on the Kindred Board of Directors and Council of Members. If you’re interested in serving, take a look through our info packages for more information:
Serving as a Board Member  |  Serving as a Council of Members Representative.

To apply, please email Sonya Kuepfer, Executive Assistant.

Leadership and Governance

Kindred’s leadership consists of three groups: the Board of Directors, a Senior Leadership Team, and the Council of Members. These teams work closely together to ensure the continuing success and sound governance of the credit union. The Board of Directors establishes Kindred’s strategic direction, monitors the overall strength and financial performance of the organization, as well as the satisfaction of members, and ensures that Kindred continues to be an engaging employer. Representing the best interests of the members, the Board works closely with the Senior Leaderships Team and holds the organization accountable for its success. Guided by Kindred’s purpose, the Board applies prudent financial practices and business standards to fulfill its responsibilities to members.

The Council of Members is a committee of sixteen member volunteers with representation from all eight Kindred branches. Each year the Council seeks volunteers for governance roles on the Board of Directors and ensures the Council of Members has a full complement. This approach to discerning qualified candidates has resulted in diverse and competent boards for Kindred, who have served the membership well and been excellent guardians of our values. Appointments to the Council of Members are presented to the Membership at the Annual General Meeting.

Meet the Board of Directors

Susan Taves
Chair, Executive Committee

Carolyn Albrecht
Executive Committee

George Brimblecombe
Audit and Risk Committee

Jim Erb
Finance Committee

Gerry Frey
Chair, Finance Committee

Gloria Martin
Finance Committee

Nelson Scheifele
Chair, Finance Committee

Leroy Shantz
Vice-Chair, Executive Committee

Randy Shantz
Chair, Audit and Risk Committee

Kaylie Tiessen
Audit and Risk Committee

Tim Wagler
Audit and Risk Committee

John D. Wiebe
Corporate Secretary, Executive Committee

Meet the Senior Leadership Team

Ian Thomas, MBA, ICD.D
Chief Executive Officer

John Klassen, BSc, CPA, CMA
Chief, Finance and Compliance

Nolan Andres, BSc, MMath
Chief, Technology and Innovation

Rebecca Smith, BA, CHRL
Vice-President, Culture and Wellness

Nick Savva, BSc, ACIB
Vice-President, Credit Strategy and Underwriting

Max Bentz, BA
Vice-President, Member Relationships

Council of Members by Branch

Aylmer
Frank Voth, John Stoltzfus

Elmira
Judith Hiller, Wayne B. Martin

Kitchener
Dan Driedger (chair), Joan Schooley (vice-chair)

Leamington
Vic Winter, vacant

Milverton
Jim Brenneman, Kevin Huber

Mount Forest
Miles Wiederkehr (vice-chair),vacant

New Hamburg
Dawna Whitehead, Norm Size

Waterloo
Kevin Dwarte, Alfred Hecht

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Annual Reports and Financial Statements

While annual reports may not be everyone’s cup of tea, an important aspect of being a co-operative is transparency. So feel free to explore our annual reports and even our detailed financial statements—they’re here to help you understand how your credit union works and to learn more about our financial health.

2020 Annual Report  |  2019 Annual Report  |  2018 Annual Report

​Purpose

means seeking more than just an ordinary life: it means seeking to have an impact. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you connect values and faith with finances, explore Membership with Kindred.

Membership