 TruWest® Credit Union donated $2,500 for the American Lung Association through the Fight for Air Climb which took place on May 14.
More than half the staff from the Austin-based TruWest branches joined 40 other teams climbing stairs at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas or walking in their local communities to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for lung disease. “TruWest has supported the American Lung Association for many years, and we are proud of our team for walking together to raise awareness and funds for such an important cause – a healthier future, clean air and vital research to save lives,” said Alan Althouse, president and CEO of TruWest Credit Union. For several months leading up to the event TruWest Credit Union team members trained and supported each other’s fundraising and fitness goals, working together to make the lifesaving donation possible. Nearly 37 million Americans live with a chronic lung disease like asthma and COPD. Additionally, Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of both men and women in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked. The American Lung Association combats lung diseases by conducting lung health education, lifesaving research, and providing other critical programs and services. Its work includes a $25 million commitment to end COVID-19 and defend against future respiratory viruses. For more information about TruWest Credit Union’s charitable partnership with the American Lung Association, visit https://truwest.org/lung
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 Vince Bezemer Ent Credit Union (Ent), Colorado’s leading credit union, announced today it is partnering with Backbase, the global Engagement Banking Platform provider, to deliver a modern, flexible and unified digital banking experience to its members. The collaboration will see Ent adopt the Backbase Engagement Banking platform to power its mobile and online digital banking portal for retail members, while supporting Ent’s in-house developer team’s ongoing digital transformation efforts.
Ent sought a technology partner who could help them achieve two overarching goals – which, together, enable the credit union to futureproof its tech stack and lay the groundwork for continuous digital transformation. First, Ent wanted to harmonize its member-facing digital applications on a single platform, ultimately creating a consistent, user-centric experience across channels and product lines. In addition, they wanted their own developers to be empowered to build upon the platform on an ongoing basis. Backbase’s Engagement Banking Platform helps Ent meet these goals in a variety of ways, providing out-of-the-box functionality on a unified platform that allows Ent to get their new digital experience up and running quickly, while still creating opportunities for deep, ongoing customization. Backbase’s back-end efficiencies and integrations with third-party fintechs enable Ent’s development team to quickly roll out new products and features without disrupting the user experience, ensuring that Ent is able to anticipate and meet their members’ needs. In addition, the Engagement Banking Platform is holistic and built from scratch, avoiding the pitfalls that come from piecing together disparate technology stacks. “Improving the financial quality of life for our members is a central value for us, and in this day and age, that means providing a digital experience that allows them to quickly and clearly accomplish their goals every time they interact with us,” said Tanan Miles, Senior Vice President, Electronic Banking at Ent. “In order to achieve this, we need to be able to move fast, innovate and be creative with our products and services while still centering on the user journey. We’re confident that our partnership with Backbase will help us stay ahead of the curve when it comes to taking care of our members.” Vincent Bezemer, Senior Vice President, Americas at Backbase, added “Credit unions provide a vital service to members – delivering the resources to help them holistically understand and manage their financial lives. We’re proud to partner with an innovative, forward-thinking credit union like Ent, who take this mission to heart and understand the critical role digital transformation plays in continually improving the member experience – and by extension, their financial wellbeing.”  Todd Marksberry Canvas Credit Union, one of Colorado’s leading credit unions for more than 84 years, and Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) are pleased to announce the upcoming launch of their strategic partnership. Canvas has been awarded a five-year agreement to serve as the official credit union of CSU Pueblo – kicking off in July – and will operate a branch out of the university’s Occhiato Student Center. The relationship reinforces Canvas’ commitment to the CSU system, building upon the credit union’s sponsorship with Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
With 33 branches throughout metro Denver, northern Colorado and the Western Slope, the partnership marks Canvas’ expansion into southern Colorado. Canvas’ entrance into Pueblo emphasizes the impact the credit union aims to amplify throughout Colorado in its efforts to elevate the financial situation of all Coloradans and strengthen communities. Through a collaboration centered on values for financial education, innovation and community investment, Canvas will bring its industry-leading financial services to the campus. Structured similarly to its relationship with CSU in Fort Collins, the credit union will deliver exclusive benefits for university students, alumni, faculty and staff. Canvas will launch its student account services, designed to focus on the unique needs of college students and young adults. The partnership will also explore an alumni credit card, financial literacy programing, plus potential partnerships with CSU-Housing to provide financial assistance for homebuyers and special offers for CSU affordable housing. Aligned with one of Canvas’ pillars of community giving – schools – the credit union is also committed to investing in CSU Pueblo students. Canvas will support CSU Pueblo students through various initiatives, including the CSU Pueblo Journey scholarship program totaling $500,000 over the five-year agreement. “We are wildly passionate about supporting students and steering their financial wellbeing early in life,” said Todd Marksberry, CEO & president at Canvas Credit Union. “To us, few things are more exciting than the opportunity to help share the power behind the credit union movement with students, as the future of our community. In collaboration with CSU Pueblo, we know we can bring more support, value and community investment to southern Colorado, and ultimately help more Coloradans afford life.” CSU Pueblo selected Canvas Credit Union as its credit union partner in support of the university’s goals to elevate the student experience, enhance the appeal of campus and develop its people. The partnership aligns with CSU’s recently launched 10-year campaign for investment into the Pueblo campus, recognizing the regional college and surrounding communities have been disproportionately impacted by the economic recession and pandemic. Southern Colorado is a key driver to Colorado’s diverse economy, with CSU Pueblo as a central hub providing degree programs in high-demand jobs and generating 1,500 direct and indirect city employment impacts. Canvas’ alignment with CSU Pueblo and entrance into the region signifies the draw and steady growth that southern Colorado is fostering for businesses and residents, and the important role the region plays in the wellbeing of the entire state of Colorado. “Southern Colorado is historically and culturally rich, and it is important that we select partners who share our love for Colorado and will honor the qualities that make our region unique. Welcoming Canvas into our ranks will only elevate our efforts to reinvigorate the Southern Colorado community following the impacts of the pandemic and fuel the forward momentum the region is experiencing,” said Donna Souder Hodge, vice president of operations and advancement at CSU Pueblo. “We know our relationship with Canvas Credit Union will bring immeasurable value to our 4,000 students and the larger Pueblo community comprised of 120,000 residents.” Extending its support of the CSU system, Canvas kicked off its 15-year sponsorship deal with Colorado State University in Fort Collins in 2018. Canvas operates the Lory Student Center Branch on campus, offers dedicated CSU account services for students, faculty and staff, and holds the naming rights to the university’s Canvas Stadium. “We have seen firsthand the impact that Canvas has had within the CSU system, and we couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated partner to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we head into the next chapter for our university,” said CSU Pueblo President, Timothy Mottet. “Like most industries, higher education has undeniably shifted through the course of the pandemic, and we are focused on harnessing the opportunities that have opened up to us to deliver an even more dynamic experience for our students. It is critical that we partner with organizations who will walk this journey with us, share our values, continually strive for innovation, and are driven to serve.” The partnership comes on the heels of Canvas’ merger with Grand Junction-based Western Rockies Federal Credit Union, marking Canvas’ western expansion into Colorado’s Western Slope community. Driven by its commitment to Coloradans and the opportunity to spread impact throughout the state, Canvas is eager to advance its vision of being a leader in the communities it serves as it steps into southern Colorado and the Western Slope this year.  Cathy Pace NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), a leading enterprise technology provider, today announced that North Carolina-based Allegacy Federal Credit Union (FCU) will leverage NCR and Google Cloud’s data warehousing and analytics solution.
NCR will bring together a number of disparate data sources across Allegacy FCU’s enterprise to provide a dashboard with data visualization tools that will help its leadership team make strategic decisions on marketing, new product introduction, and customer service enhancements. Allegacy FCU can also use data to give its members insights to achieve their saving goals, boost their credit scores, develop spending plans and improve their overall financial wellness. “We had a wealth of data available across the credit union, but it was previously siloed and largely unactionable,” said Cathy J. Pace, President and CEO at Allegacy FCU. “By working with our partners, NCR and Google Cloud, we are putting the foundation in place to lead with data in all that we do, which will ultimately result in smarter business decisions, more personalized member experiences, and the ability to nimbly adapt as the market changes.” “Members today expect all interactions to be hyper-personalized, which is impossible without real-time, reliable data,” said Doug Brown, president and general manager, NCR Digital Banking. “By joining forces with NCR and Google Cloud, Allegacy FCU is taking the steps necessary to make data actionable, unlock predictive insights and drive innovation.” “Financial institutions are increasingly realizing the power of cloud for processing data and deriving insights that drive better decision making,” said Zac Maufe, head of retail banking at Google Cloud. “By leveraging cloud technology and analytics, Allegacy FCU will be able to extract intelligent insights that will help propel their business forward.” NCR helps financial institutions bridge digital and physical operations so that they can connect with consumers anytime, anywhere. Through innovative solutions, NCR simplifies and optimizes banking experiences for customers and staff alike. NCR provides a modern and efficient end-to-end infrastructure for customers to connect to the broader enterprise and fintech ecosystem to run self-directed banking.  Pankaj Jain Leading global AI-powered credit decision platform provider Scienaptic AI announced today that Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union is now live on its platform. The implementation will help the credit union strengthen its lending portfolio, make faster loan decisions and empower its member-community through greater access to credit.
Founded in 1954, Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union is a full-service credit union, offering members a full suite of financial products and services. With locations in Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska, the credit union is committed to making life more convenient for its members and enhancing their experiences. Through the deployment of Scienaptic’s platform, Meridian Trust FCU is offering advanced, automated credit decisions to streamline loan decisioning, expand its member base and increase credit availability for its members. “At Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union, we believe everyone deserves a chance to thrive, financially and otherwise. The deployment of Scienaptic’s AI-based platform is helping us provide quick access to credit, make advanced decisions in reduced time and provide our members with customized financial solutions. As indicated by early results, an over 50% increase in auto approvals for auto loans will help us have many more proud vehicle owners in our community,” said Michael Barnhardt Jr., Chief Lending Officer of Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union. “To see businesses and individuals thrive by getting the right financial assistance is a matter of great satisfaction. We are delighted that the deployment of our platform is helping Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union achieve that goal,” said Pankaj Jain, President and Co-Founder of Scienaptic AI. “Our industry-leading credit decisioning platform will greatly enhance Meridian Trust’s financial outreach initiatives and lead to an enhanced member experience and inclusive credit access.”  Bill Clark Engageware, the industry-leading provider of customer engagement solutions, today announced Albuquerque, N.M.-based Rio Grande Credit Union, has extended its contract for five more years to further utilize Engageware’s Employee Knowledge Management solution. Rio Grande Credit Union is taking an innovative approach in leveraging this technology to enable employees to provide consistently exceptional member service.
Since its initial implementation in 2019, Engageware’s Employee Knowledge Management solution has been thoroughly embedded within Rio Grande’s existing technology infrastructure and business applications, providing employees immediate access to the credit union’s institutional knowledge and content, such as policies, procedures, product information and key training material. This user-friendly solution has streamlined the credit union’s onboarding process, reduced the need to manage and update information across multiple sources and eliminated duplicate documentation. “Management has seen a notable difference in employees’ ability to self-serve and operate independently with greater confidence,” said Diane Sanchez, Training Manager at Rio Grande Credit Union. “Before Engageware, employees had difficulty locating essential documentation such as policies or procedures. It was challenging to ensure universal access to the most updated, accurate content. Now everything is centralized across departments and branches, ensuring every employee has the information they need right at their fingertips. We consider Engageware an extension of our team – and their in-depth knowledge of the credit union industry has proven invaluable. Launching their knowledge management technology was the best project we’ve undertaken – our employees are not only more efficient, but they are also more confident and in turn, are able to provide our members a more engaging, personalized experience.” Rio Grande uses the Employee Knowledge Management solution, internally branded as ‘Ask Howie’ in support of its broader strategic initiative to support employee training and onboarding. Each credit union employee has a development plan within the system, outlining their first six months of employment and their training areas. The credit union has designed “schools” for employees depending on their specialty. Five school agendas have been built into the customized solution to support tellers, new hires, onboarding members and consumer lending officers. Additionally, soon to launch is a Call Center Member Resource School, further enabling the credit union to harness the knowledge management solution within the contact center. With universal employees circulating throughout each credit union branch, every employee must learn the necessary processes and procedures. Now, everyone has convenient access to the same materials, enabling new hires to learn on their own time and at their own pace. This has provided consistency in training and onboarding of all employees as well as assurance that they have instant access to the most up-to-date information. As a result, employees are able to serve members more quickly and efficiently, creating an overall positive experience for members and employees alike. Bill Clark, CEO of Engageware, said, “When we surveyed more than 3,500 financial institution managers, we found that 63% were spending between 30 to 40% of their days answering frontline employee questions. This is not only an inefficient way to operate, but it also directly impacts the overall member experience, as well as the credit union’s bottom line. Employee Knowledge Management empowers employees, providing the tools they need in a user-friendly, accessible manner, thus fostering stronger member engagement and providing the experience that members expect. Rio Grande is a forward-thinking institution, and we look forward to partnering with them for years to come.”  Larry Nichols Member Driven Technologies (MDT), a CUSO that hosts the Episys® core processing system from Symitar® to provide a private cloud alternative for core processing and IT needs, today announced that Ukrainian Self Reliance Michigan FCU (USMFCU) has successfully implemented the Episys core processing platform hosted by MDT as well as the Banno Digital Platform™.
After a comprehensive due diligence process which included receiving feedback from many peer credit unions, Warren, Mich.-based USMFCU decided to partner with MDT for a more robust, modern core platform. Since going live, the credit union has been able to boost efficiencies, spending less time on tedious hardware and software maintenance and more time forming meaningful member relationships. “MDT made the overall core conversion process as seamless as possible; they were very hands-on and communicated with us frequently and consistently, which made all the difference,” explained Andre Vygnanski, CEO of USMFCU. “As a smaller credit union with limited resources, managing multiple vendor relationships is cumbersome. MDT not only hosts our core platform but also a network of integrated solutions and services that we can easily leverage. Partnering with the CUSO has allowed us to improve our competitive stance and provide our members with the modern technology they expect.” USMFCU has also gone live on the Banno Digital Platform, delivering an intuitive, simple digital banking experience to its members. With Banno Conversations, employees can provide a personalized experience within digital channels. Members have greatly enjoyed being able to link and share files, transactions, accounts, payments, and even authenticated forms within the chat thread, mirroring an experience nearly equivalent to that of a branch. Members have also shared positive feedback around the balance and transaction alerts as they’re timely, customizable and highly actionable. “USMFCU is a trusted financial services provider that the Ukrainian community can rely on and come to for meaningful, personalized interactions,” said Larry Nichols, CEO and president of MDT. “By leveraging the Episys core platform and Banno Digital Platform through our partnership, the credit union is creating efficiencies while delivering new digital capabilities to members. We’re proud to serve community-focused credit unions like USMFCU, who are dedicated to investing in the technology necessary to provide a strong member experience across channels.”  Greta Kidd ValleyStar Credit Union in collaboration with the ValleyStar RISE Foundation board announces Greta Kidd as its executive director to collaborate with communities to identify challenges and opportunities for the advancement of economic
resilience. Prior to working for the RISE Foundation, Greta served as the vice president of member experience at ValleyStar Credit Union where she led cross-functional teams to enhance member experience digitally and in person. “Greta’s 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and her background in nonprofit and community work make her a valuable asset,” said Mike Warrell, CEO of ValleyStar Credit Union. “She is a true advocate for our community and our members, and I’m confident in her ability to fulfill the purpose and goals of the foundation.” Before joining ValleyStar, Greta led a financial education initiative for members and communities at Entrust Financial Credit Union. She also worked for Boaz & Ruth, a nonprofit that supports incarcerated individuals returning home with skills for success. Greta holds an MBA from Averett University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Mary Baldwin University. She has a Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive Certification (CUCME) from the Credit Union National Association and received her Fund Development Certification from the University of Richmond.  Bryce Deeney equipifi, a fintech company providing banks and credit unions with a white label Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solution, completed a $12 million Series A funding round. The investment, led by Curql Collective via Curql Fund and PHX Ventures, will enable equipifi to provide community financial institutions with BNPL capabilities available through their existing debit cards and banking app as consumer payment preferences evolve.
equipifi helps financial institutions use their existing data and digital banking platforms to extend BNPL offers that are in alignment with their customers’ financial goals. As an added benefit, banks and credit unions can also leverage BNPL to grow existing lines of revenue and open new ones. Since its launch in September 2021, equipifi has already partnered with seven financial institutions through multi-year contracts to bring BNPL to their solution suite. “Consumers rely on their primary financial institution to know them and their financial goals. That’s why even as BNPL has been seeing rapid adoption through third-party lenders, the majority of consumers still look to their trusted financial institutions for a better option,” said Bryce Deeney, co-founder and CEO of equipifi. “equipifi powers banks and credit unions to take their customers shopping, providing a single place to view, accept, and manage their BNPL plans on their existing online banking app.” “BNPL solutions are providing credit unions with a unique opportunity to retain their membership and attract a younger demographic,” says Nick Evens, President & CEO of Curql Collective. “equipifi’s team, with their foundation in credit unions and the banking ecosystem, not only understands our needs but also how to service and scale in our space, making their white label solutions particularly exciting.” According to a report from Worldpay, BNPL accounted for $97 billion of global eCommerce transactions in 2020 and is expected to double to 4.2% by 2024. eMarketer also notes that the number of US BNPL users will soar from 1.6 million in 2018 to 59.3 million in 2022, driven by innovations in credit access and purchase flexibility. “Consumer expectations for purchase and payments are evolving, and it’s time for financial institutions to lead the way in providing BNPL solutions that are tailored to these needs,” said Gregg Scoresby, founder and managing partner of PHX Ventures. “equipifi will be the next high-growth fintech SaaS company built in Arizona that redefines retail financing, and the way that banks and credit unions serve the next generation of consumers.”  Harold Roundtree Harold Roundtree, President/CEO of UNCLE Credit Union of Livermore, California, has joined the Board of Directors of Co-op Solutions following the company’s annual meeting of shareholders held May 3. Four other credit union leaders were re-elected to their posts on Co-op’s 11-member Board.
Elected to a first term on the Co-op Board, Roundtree has served as UNCLE’s President/CEO since joining the credit union in 2011. Prior to that, he was SVP at Technology CU, working there from 1994 to 2011. His career in financial services also includes work with World Savings and First Interstate Bank. Four other Board positions were up for election, with four members re-elected, including Jackie Buchanan, President/CEO of Genisys CU from Michigan; Theresa Mann, VP/Chief Risk Officer of NASA FCU from Maryland; Todd Marksberry, President/CEO of Canvas CU from Colorado; and Greg Mitchell, President/CEO of First Tech FCU from Oregon. “I want to congratulate the five Board candidates on their elections, each to serve three-year terms,” said Benson Porter, President/CEO of BECU in Washington state, and Co-op’s Chairperson of the Board. “Jackie, Theresa, Todd and Greg have made significant contributions to the oversight of Co-op. And, we welcome Harold to the Board, bringing more than 30 years of financial services experience to the table.” Following the annual shareholders meeting, the Co-op Board held an organizational meeting that confirmed the body’s current leadership for another year – Porter, Board Chairperson; Joan Opp, President/CEO of Stanford FCU of California as Board Vice-Chairperson; Buchanan as Treasurer; and Mann as Chairperson of the Board’s Audit Committee. In addition to the seven Board members mentioned above, Co-op’s Board includes four additional members – Robert Chavez, Sandia Laboratory FCU, from New Mexico; Bob Falk, Purdue FCU, from Indiana; Wayne Grosse, Bethpage FCU, from New York; and Rudy Pereira, Premier America CU, from California. For more information, visit coop.org. |
Author: Mike LawsonMarried to a most gorgeous and wonderful wife, raising 5 kiddos (including twins!), enjoy helping others tell their stories, and love surfing SoCal waves. Keep it simple. Archives
December 2024
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