MANITOWOC – As Kim Rooney prepares to retire as CEO of UnitedOne Credit Union, she says her goals since Day One have been communication and education.
“I enjoy people and learning about people,” she told the Herald Times Reporter. “For me, it always came down to educating and helping people.”
Rooney has served as UnitedOne’s CEO since 2009 and will step down on June 26. She’s already transitioned to working remotely, so her replacement — Amy Sonnemann, currently UnitedOne’s chief lending officer — can start taking over the reins.
Streetwise Manitowoc caught up with Rooney in late May as she was visiting her family’s home in Maine. Rooney reflected on her time at the credit union, what she will miss — and why she plans to remain in the lakeshore area after retirement.
Kim Rooney’s career path from journalism to UnitedOne Credit Union
Rooney was born in Racine. The family moved to Two Rivers when her dad got hired at Paragon Electric Company. She graduated from Two Rivers High School.
She then attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, majoring in journalism and psychology.
“You don’t find journalism, journalism finds you,” Rooney said. “I always could write. A lot of people when they sit down, can’t write … and I could always do that. Plus, I’ve always been curious about people. I wanted to understand them and learn about them. I got to do that working in newspapers.”
In 1995, after working in several Wisconsin newsrooms, she made the move to the financial world, becoming UnitedOne’s first marketing director.
“When I started, there was just one branch in Manitowoc — it was so much smaller then,” Rooney said.
A few years later, the credit union opened a second branch. She helped former CEO Dennis Lombard in managing the 2002 merger of Manitowoc Community Credit Union and First Superior Credit Union of Sheboygan.
Since becoming CEO, Rooney led UnitedOne through significant growth, increasing assets from $173 million to $329 million in 2025.
Rooney is a strong advocate for financial education and played a major role in launching the first school credit union in Monroe Elementary School in 1996. The partnership between UnitedOne and the Manitowoc Public School District has since expanded to eight school branches, helping generations of students build financial literacy skills.
“I realized that no matter what job I’ve had, it’s all about communication,” Rooney said. “Communication and education. We have a big role as a credit union to teach people about finances. From loans for schools or a first mortgage, to planning and saving for retirement, we often say we can be a partner for a person’s whole life.”
Along with health and family, finances are usually a top priority for people, so Rooney said she takes the role of helping people manage their money seriously.
“The more I got to know about it, the more I realized that throughout my career, I’ve always been doing the same things, just in different ways,” she said.
UnitedOne Credit Union challenges and the future after Kim Rooney’s retirement
Looking back, Rooney said the waters were rough when she came aboard as CEO in 2009.
“During the Great Recession, we really went through some tough times,” she said. “I had a lot of sleepless nights. I inherited some things at a very tough time for financial institutions. We took back 12 homes — that was very hard. Most years, we take maybe one or two, often none.
“My goal was to keep the credit union up and going,” she continued. “People were scared. Some businesses were closing. People were being laid off. But we made it through that and continue to grow.”
Rooney said banks and credit unions face the most challenge from non-traditional and internet financial services.
“People can do everything over the internet now,” she said. “I think it’s scary. It’s fine if everything is going well, but if money is missing or something is not right, who can help you?”
She said she’s leaving the credit union in good hands.
“Amy is a remarkable leader who understands our mission at its core,” Rooney said. “Her dedication to our members has been evident since the day she joined us. I have complete confidence that UnitedOne’s future is in excellent hands under her leadership.”
Kim Rooney’s retirement plans and why she is staying in Manitowoc
Rooney said she plans to spend time with family and with her young grandson. She and her husband own a century-old home that needs work, and she plans to volunteer.
June 26 is her last day as CEO.
“My hope for the credit union is to just continue to help build financial wellness in the community. We can make people happy; it feels great to help them be happy.”
Manitowoc has lots to offer, she noted.
“It’s a beautiful area and people care about each other here,” Rooney said. “You can ride a bike, go for a walk. There’s a great farmers’ market. I enjoy the small-town feel.”
This article is part of the Making Manitowoc series of stories that highlights the people, places and things that make the Manitowoc region one-of-a-kind. If you know of an interesting person, place or thing made in Manitowoc that you think could be featured, contact Patti Zarling at pzarling@usatodayco.com or call 920-606-2575.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: UnitedOne CEO Kim Rooney reflects on her legacy as retirement nears
Reporting by Patti Zarling, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter / Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
