The $681 million Michigan First Credit Union in Lathrup Village, Mich., was recently listed in Corp! magazine as a winner of the 2012 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For sponsored by the National Association for Business Resources.

Nationwide, hundreds of companies competed for the 101 Best and Brightest honors, but only companies with the highest quality human resources initiatives were named 2012 National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, according to Corp!, a Michigan-based business magazine. NABR's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For program is presented annually in five markets: Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Houston and West Michigan.

Michigan First operates a leadership academy to support internal talent development, employee education and training, as well as benefits such as health care, flexible scheduling, a game room and workout facility for employees.

“We work to give our team members every possible tool to provide exceptional customer service to our members,” said Michael Poulos, Michigan First CU president/CEO. “Our managers also take work/life balance very seriously because we believe in supporting the needs of our team members as well as our members' needs. Particularly in the financial industry, we know this personal approach stands out in our recruiting and retention efforts—we appreciate the extra effort our team gives every day.”

The credit union has also been recognized by the Detroit Free Press as a Top Place to Work for four years in a row (since 2009) and by Crain's Detroit Business as a “Cool Place to Work” for three years.

Michigan First CU employs more than 250 employees who serve over 87,000 individuals, families and local business members in the state's Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.