Kaddas Enterprises: Empowering Employees Through Financial Education | My Member Story

A family business founded in 1966, Kaddas Enterprises has grown from a small operation into a global powerhouse, now shipping products to 15 countries. The plastics manufacturing business was started by Natalie Kaddas’ mother- and father-in-law, who initially used a kitchen oven to create component parts. Their first major success was in commercial aircraft.

In the 1990s, Natalie’s father-in-law watched a PBS NOVA episode about bald eagles facing endangerment, partly due to electrocution from power lines. These electrocutions were harmful in multiple ways—killing the birds while also potentially causing wildfires and power outages in nearby communities.

As an entrepreneur and inventor, he believed he could create protective insulation products to prevent these events. Kaddas Enterprises, initially focused on protecting birds, has now expanded its products to safeguard various climbing animals like monkeys in Costa Rica, sloths in Colombia and snakes in Texas.

In 2008, Natalie accepted the position of CEO. She leads the company with pride, focusing not only on the legacy her family built but on making a positive, lasting impact on both the community and the environment.

One of Natalie’s key initiatives is a financial education program created in partnership with Mountain America Credit Union. It consists of seven classes covering topics like basic budgeting, goal setting and improving your credit score, culminating in a one-on-one appointment with the Mountain America presenter. The program helps Kaddas Enterprises employees understand and manage their finances, empowering them to make smarter financial decisions and set clear financial goals.

The inspiration for the program came when an employee told Natalie he gave up on his dream of traveling abroad because he couldn’t afford it. “That’s when I realized we were missing basic budgeting skills,” she stated. “The last thing I want is for someone to give up on their dreams.”

The program started small, but the impact has been profound—there is now a waitlist for the program, with more employees eager to join.

For Natalie, financial education is an essential part of her business strategy. “If I can’t help them manage their funds, they won’t be able to grow,” she explains. “It’s not about how much you make; it’s about how you manage your finances.”

The program has had a transformative effect—Marisela Gomez, a quality auditor, found it life-changing. "I know where my money goes now, and I can make cuts and save,” she claims. “I’m also planning to help my family get started." Others have also benefitted—Edward improved his credit score and bought his first brand-new vehicle, Luis bought a house, and Connor proposed to his fiancé and started saving for that dream vacation abroad!

Natalie’s leadership success comes from understanding others. Guided by the motto "Seek first to understand, then to be understood," she ensures her employees have the resources and knowledge to succeed both at work and in their personal lives.

Natalie is a visionary who quickly identifies needs and acts on them. She sees the financial education program as a valuable resource that has opened doors for her employees. She is eager to share that information with other business owners to help them achieve similar success.

When Natalie first thought of providing financial education to her employees, she wasn’t sure where to start. A colleague at a national event suggested working with a credit union. Once that light bulb went on, she ran with it!

Natalie was already a member of Mountain America, so she reached out and got connected with our Financial Education team. From there, we curated a multi-topic cohort for her employees and scheduled the presentations. Now that she has all this in place and has seen the impact it has made, her next step is to get the word out!

Through her leadership and commitment to employee well-being, Natalie Kaddas has built a company that not only contributes to environmental safety and helps make our power utility infrastructure more resilient but also provides a supportive, growth-oriented culture for its employees. The financial education program is just one example of how she’s helping her team thrive.

You go, Natalie! We are so proud to be part of what you are building.