TruStar was founded in 1960 by paper mill employees in International Falls who were looking for a way to secure good rates on loans and competitive dividends on their savings. They each tossed five dollars in a hat to form the credit union’s first assets! First known as Mando Employees Credit Union, the credit union name later changed with the purchase of Minnesota and Ontario Paper Company by Boise Cascade. Paper mill employees and their families remained the credit union’s only field of membership until 1985, when Koochiching County and government employees were added, followed by a succession of other employee groups. In September 1999, Boise Employees Credit Union became a federally-chartered credit union. In June 2003, the credit union name was changed to TruStar to reflect changes in the field of membership and the member's perception of the credit union. It combines the common themes found: Trust and Star performance.