MECU Branches Out with Business Services

BALTIMORE – After noticing that many of its members had small, home-based businesses and others were using their personal checking accounts for business needs, Municipal Employees Credit Union began offering services to cater to those needs. The $768 million credit union said it plans to offer business loans under $250,000 and will target businesses with $2 million or less in annual revenue, according to Frank Ciesla, manager of member business loans. Members will also have access to a plethora of other related services including business checking and savings accounts, CDs, business lending and merchant processing for credit-card transactions. Ciesla is hoping his role as interim executive director for the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce, a dual position he served in for a year and a half while a permanent director was hired, will help MECU establish contacts. The chamber has 300 member businesses, many of which are small or minority-owned, Ciesla said.