90th Anniversary Open House Connects Community with Steel Mill Roots
LorMet Community Federal Credit Union celebrated its 90th anniversary with a community-centered open house on Saturday, April 18th, bringing together community members, former steelworkers, politicians, and reporters to honor Lorain County’s industrial heritage and the people who built it.
Held at LorMet’s Main Branch, the event served as both a milestone celebration and a tribute to the credit union’s origins in 1936, when it was founded to serve employees of the National Tube Lorain Works steel mill.
The open house focused heavily on storytelling and shared history. Attendees explored large-scale mural displays, rare archival photographs, and curated memorabilia highlighting the steel mill’s role in shaping the economic and social fabric of Lorain County. A community storytelling booth invited guests to record personal experiences, preserving local voices for future generations through the Lorain Public Library System’s historical archives.
LorMet employees played a key role in preparing for the organization’s 90th anniversary by gathering historical photos and information to create a timeline. This display not only tells the story of the credit union but also reflects the broader history of Lorain County and the industries it grew from.
The timeline wouldn’t have been possible without help from the Lorain Public Library System, especially the Albert Doane Collection archive. Many of the photos included were scanned digitally for the first time during the research process, helping preserve these important pieces of history.
“We are celebrating the diversity of Lorain County, the cultural heritage,” said LorMet President and CEO Daniel Cwalina. “When you see some of the old photographs, you will see the employees’ office at the steel mill had nine languages on the side of the building. It brought people from all over the world, and that is what we are celebrating. That is who we represent.”
The open house emphasized the deep connection between LorMet and the community it serves, highlighting how the resilience of steelworkers and their families helped shape both the region and the credit union itself. The event’s theme, rooted in the legacy of the Lorain steel mill, underscored the institution’s continued mission to prioritize people over profit while preserving local history.
“It demonstrated the need for a people-first financial institution,” Cwalina said. “Lorain is a culturally diverse powerhouse, and that is what we represent. We kept our founders’ philosophy in place, and we are more than an organization of dollars. We are an organization of people. Today, LorMet holds over $280 million in deposits, we have over 19,000 members and we have survived for 90 years, through all the economic challenges over decades. That is what we are celebrating.”
In addition to historical exhibits, the event highlighted LorMet’s role as a community partner, from supporting local initiatives to creating opportunities for financial stability and growth. The storytelling component, in particular, reinforced the credit union’s investment in preserving the lived experiences of the people it serves.
“We give back to our community through organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank and The Chronicle-Telegram’s Not-Forgotten Box, and that is the difference when you have a true community financial institution,” said Cwalina
By centering the celebration on shared history, community voices, and cultural heritage, the open house highlighted LorMet’s enduring role as more than a financial institution, positioning it as a steward of Lorain County’s past and a partner in its future.
