ValleyStar Credit Union announces Jordan Weatherholtz as its vice president of data and analytics to help bring process efficiency to ValleyStar operations and build a culture and organizational strategy that is data-driven. Jordan joined the ValleyStar team in 2020 and has successfully led multiple initiatives, including setting up an organizational data warehouse and cleansing internal data to ensure accuracy. He also implemented daily reporting for the 2022 corporate scorecard. “Jordan has made impressive strides in using data to bring efficiency to ValleyStar operations over the last two years,” said Mike Warrell, ValleyStar CEO. “I have complete confidence in his ability to create a data-driven culture that will fulfill our vision of being the best in service and convenience.” Before joining ValleyStar, Jordan was a member of the management team at DuPont Community Credit Union. He led a risk management division that successfully identified, mitigated and prevented fraudulent transactions. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Science from Bridgewater College and obtained his Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) Certification in January 2020. He has also been active in the Virginia Credit Union League and is a board member of the Emerging Professional Network.
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Today, the Nevada Credit Union League announced a partnership with the Nevada Attorney General’s Office and Nevada Bankers Association to combat and prevent imposter banking scams by raising consumer awareness on how Nevadans can protect themselves. Attorney General Aaron Ford and Nevada Credit Union League President and CEO Diana Dykstra agreed that the best way to combat banking scams and the criminals perpetrating them is through consumer awareness. These predators will prey on people from all walks of life to scam their deposit accounts, credit cards, debit cards, and other accounts, which is why it is imperative the citizens of the Silver State stay diligent. “Silver State residents are Nevada’s frontline defense against cyber thieves, hackers and fraudsters,” Dykstra said. “It is imperative that everyone remain vigilant and keep a diligent eye open for fraud attempts. If you think you see something that is fraud, please report it to the authorities and to your credit union or other financial institution.” Dykstra and Ford said cyber criminals are becoming increasingly creative with how they try to hack into consumer accounts and steal money. Recently, criminals have turned to “smishing” tactics, which is a phishing attempt through a text message (SMS). These criminals will fraudulently represent themselves as a credit union or bank while texting a consumer, asking for important and personal information. However, a “smishing” text-message is something a credit union or another reputable financial institution would not do. This is just one type of fraud attempt that is becoming more prevalent. “These scams all have one thing in common: an attempt to create a sense of urgency. They are very sophisticated and are designed to trick even the savviest of consumers,” Ford said. “These scammers know what they are doing. Please protect all of your accounts with multi-factor authentication. And do not provide multi-factor authentication codes or passwords to anyone over the phone. This will help protect your account in the event your information is compromised.” If Nevadans even remotely think a website link is a fraudulent attempt to pry into their personal information or financial lives, they should not click on it or use it in any other communication, email, or any fashion. They should contact their credit union or other financial institution immediately. Consumers can use these tips and tricks posted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to help identify fraud and prevent the hacking of anyone’s account. “I’m proud to partner with the Nevada Credit Union League and the Nevada Bankers Association to bring an end to these types of scams,” Ford said. “Together, we will work with consumers to cut these scammers off at the pass.” As not-for-profit member-owned cooperatives, credit unions thrive when their members achieve financial success, which is why preventing fraud is so important, Dykstra said. “The League and local credit unions would like to thank the Nevada Attorney General for leading the effort on this crucial awareness campaign,” she added. “Once again, we implore the people of Nevada to keep a watchful eye out for these cyber criminals.” You can view Ford’s press conference here. The FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection offers the following consumer tips:
For additional information about protecting yourself from depository imposter scams, see https://www.banksneveraskthat.com/about/. Mahalo Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of online and mobile banking solutions for credit unions, has achieved its Corelation Certification status that verifies Mahalo is following all of the core processor’s best practices – as well as programming procedures and interfacing with Corelation’s API KeyBridge. According to Mahalo President Jim Stickley, this certification furthers Mahalo’s mission of building tight integrations with core systems like Corelation’s KeyStone. As a result, Mahalo’s credit union partners can see and manage everything in the core. “From the credit union perspective, Mahalo’s integration to the [KeyStone] core is what provides our members the seamless response times and a full menu of features they expect,” The Local Credit Union CEO Joe Hallman says. “From the beginning, Mahalo took advantage of every aspect of Corelation’s open architecture and the ‘certification’ validates their efforts. Bravo!” On that note, Hallman adds that three years ago his credit union embarked on a journey that fulfilled Mahalo’s vision of the omni-experience – as well as THE LOCAL’s vision of exceptional member service. “Our relationship with Mahalo is the strongest of any vendor, and we are grateful to share in each other’s success,” he says. “Congrats on our three-year anniversary and their certification – and we look forward to our newly renewed long term agreement and many more anniversaries to come.” The certification also ensures that the calls Mahalo conducts to retrieve the data that is presented to members happens in a quick and timely manner, which allows for the best possible member experience from the credit union’s perspective. The certification also allows Mahalo to continue to focus on offering extended functionality in the core to their members. "This certification emphasizes the goals we already have regarding tightly integrating into the Keystone core system," Stickley states. “Credit Unions choose core vendors because of the functionality that they provide. It is our job to build strong and deep integrations so these features can be presented to their members through a robust digital experience.” A few examples of these integrations include ACH/A2A, Real-time alerts, round-up programs, automated dispute processes, and more. “Corelation’s KeyBridge Certification program provides our clients with the knowledge that a vendor’s interface aligns with Corelation’s API workflow standards,” explains Corelation Director of Vendor Relations Ron Yeshulas. “We are pleased that Mahalo has successfully completed their certification with Corelation, showing their continued commitment to providing a high-quality interface to our mutual clients. Corelation continues to work with our valued partners, like Mahalo, to provide solutions that meet the growing needs of their credit union clients’ members.” “Overall, this certification means a lot for Mahalo and our credit union partners,” Stickley says. “We are very aggressive in releasing new features and functionality and this just shows that our team does a fantastic job of creating new code and ensuring that it’s developed properly for our credit unions.” Having recently surpassed the $2 billion in assets milestone, APG Federal Credit Union ($2.06 billion in assets; 148,475 members; Edgewood, MD) is making the switch to an innovative core processor that will grow and expand alongside them. For the first time in nearly three decades, the credit union will invest in a new core: Corelation’s KeyStone. “Our objectives in selecting a new core processor were to find the most technologically advanced and open system to enhance our member experience, provide ease of access to data, and improve efficiencies for our staff,” shared APGFCU President/CEO Don W. Lewis. “The most important factor for us in selecting a vendor is to find a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership that will adapt and grow with us. We believe we have found that with Corelation.” APGFCU’s core selection committee included nearly 50 staff members representing every functional department to review the system and identify the improvements the new core will bring to their area of the organization. Some of KeyStone’s features that drove their decision included: the KeyBridge open API that will enable them to integrate with third-party vendors, the real-time general ledger, the automated loan correction process, and the KeyInsight relationship management tool. “We particularly like the way KeyInsight presents marketing materials to staff to streamline the cross-sell process,” explained APGFCU’s Chief Marketing Officer Brian Wilcox. “From the front-office perspective, KeyStone offers superior ease-of-use because everything is in one place – no more having to jump through multiple systems to accomplish tasks,” added Chief Information Officer Wayne Beall. The credit union anticipates that KeyStone’s intuitive user interface will significantly decrease the amount of time it will take to train new employees. “From the beginning of KeyStone’s development, we understood the importance of designing a core processor that could support our credit union partners as they grow,” noted Corelation CEO Theresa Benavidez. “We look forward to supporting APG Federal Credit Union on their mission to bring financial empowerment to their members, especially with their recent field of membership expansion into Baltimore County and Baltimore City. Welcome, APGFCU!” PSCU, the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO), today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Juniper Payments, LLC from PITECO S.p.A. and two principal owners, who will continue with the company under PSCU. Headquartered in Wichita, Kan., Juniper Payments, LLC (“Juniper”) is the largest cloud-based non-bank third-party provider of inter-bank transaction and reporting systems in the United States. Juniper demonstrates vision and reliability in serving financial institutions and correspondents through an automated and unattended banking ecosystem. Juniper’s transaction services provide key interfaces and automation to financial institutions by leveraging the company’s payment entry, transaction management and connectivity to the Federal Reserve and third-party providers. “We are proud to welcome Juniper to the PSCU family,” said Chuck Fagan, president and CEO, PSCU. “The addition of Juniper Payments enables us to directly participate in faster and real-time payments innovation, providing our financial institutions with managed connectivity to the Federal Reserve, The Clearing House and the forthcoming FedNow service. This strategic expansion of our product suite aligns with PSCU’s commitment to broadening and diversifying our footprint in financial services, while furthering our financial institutions’ ability to deliver personalized, connected experiences for their accountholders.” Juniper will expand PSCU’s value-added services for its financial institutions to support additional payments types. Through the acquisition, PSCU will add multi-tiered payments – including ACH processing and domestic/international wire remittance – to its solutions set, as well as a virtual back-office payments gateway, member and business-originated instant payments and reporting, compliance, risk management and monitoring services. “We are excited to join PSCU, a company whose values and culture are aligned with our own,” said Jon Budd, CEO, Juniper Payments. “As an integrated financial technology solutions provider, PSCU’s resources and end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services will provide added value for our clients. PSCU will continue to invest in the Juniper business and technology, which I’m confident will further unlock Juniper’s potential to enable financial institutions of all sizes to be competitive in this evolving space.” TTCU Federal Credit Union has expanded its partnership with Co-op Solutions, entering into a new agreement for Full-Service Credit processing and related products and services within the Co-op payments ecosystem. Co-op Full-Service Credit combines analytics, fraud reduction, risk management and loyalty in a highly integrated, fully-managed card processing solution. TTCU was already a participating institution in the Co-op Shared Branch network heading into the agreement. “We have had a great working relationship with Co-op for a long time,” said Cassie Mangold, Vice President, Lending Services for TTCU. “When we reviewed our needs going forward for credit processing, Co-op had really good references on their service levels and commitment to clients. We wanted to stick with a provider that is credit union-centric and we know Co-op to be extremely dedicated in that area.” “We want to get our cards into as many members’ hands as possible, and to do that requires superior service,” said Mangold. “We need efficient and timely help on things like dispute resolution, in addition to basic transaction processing, which Co-op will provide. We also see Co-op helping us to stay abreast of payments technology trends so we can stay top-of-wallet with our members.” Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, TTCU (www.ttcu.com) was founded in 1934. It is the largest credit union based in Tulsa and the second largest credit union in Oklahoma. With $2.5 billion in assets, TTCU serves more than 142,000 members. “The key word in our decision is partnership – we were looking for a provider that’s really on our team to help us excel and bring out the most in our products and services,” said Mangold. “We want the best possible financial outcomes for our members, and Co-op can help us fulfill that.” “Payments are driving primary financial relationships today,” said Matt Kardell, Chief Revenue Officer for Co-op Solutions. “We are proud to work with TTCU as it positions itself for the future of payments, and help them service the fast-evolving needs and preferences of today’s digital-first members.” Premier Members Credit Union and The Neenan Company, a Fort Collins-based design-build firm, are celebrating the grand opening of the credit union’s first branch location in Thornton, Colo. The branch opening comes as Neenan plans to break ground on Premier Members’ first location in Erie, Colo. Founded in Boulder over 60 years ago, Premier Members Credit Union is known for bringing its Artisans of Banking approach to communities throughout the Front Range. While many in the industry are increasingly shifting to a digital-first banking strategy, Premier Members continues to build upon its brick-and-mortar presence to enhance the in-person member experience. These latest projects mark the not-for-profit financial institution’s expansion into the Thornton and Erie markets with its 15th and 17th retail branch locations. Beginning with the Thornton project, Neenan developed a new branch model that provides a flexible layout the credit union plans to apply to future sites and communities. Neenan is adapting this layout for the Erie branch location. “The pandemic really had an impact on the person-to-person service we normally provide. The resumption of retail transactions has reinforced the importance of the in-person banking experience in relationship building. These personal interactions help strengthen the relationships we have with members and the communities we serve. Our latest projects enable us to bring this dynamic to the Thornton and Erie markets,” said Carlos Pacheco, CEO of Premier Members Credit Union. Celebrating the opening of Premier Members’ first Thornton location, the branch’s open design reinforces the credit union's commitment to member relationships by elevating the in-person banking experience. Conveniently located at 755 E. 144 Ave. – near I-25 – this 1,900-square-foot branch includes open teller stations, private offices, a drive-up teller and 24/7 drive-up ATM. The design emphasizes the distinct difference the credit union is bringing to Thornton by opening the neighborhood branch to foster deeper engagement with members throughout Adams County and invest in the local community through its Premier Gives program. Premier Members Credit Union and Neenan are planning to break ground in June on the credit union’s first location in Erie. Located at 350 Ambrose St., immediately off Erie Parkway, this 1,900-square-foot facility is expected to be complete in early 2023. The new full-service branch will offer all the same member conveniences included at the newly completed Thornton branch, and marks the fourth project between Premier Members Credit Union and The Neenan Company. The new branch model offers Premier Members’ full range of services within a smaller, more intimate building footprint. Seeking for each branch to establish its standing as the local neighborhood credit union, the design invites deeper relationships with members and the surrounding community. With layouts fostering more efficient and personalized service, the traditional, transactional teller lines are replaced with an open connection between the lobby, teller stations and open offices. The designs seek to provide multiple opportunities for the credit union to engage with members throughout their visit. The buildings’ interiors emphasize comfort with soft materials, warm wood elements and natural light. Embodying the “artisans of banking” brand, the branch designs feature details that evoke craftsmanship such as custom wood and pipe coffee hutches, and tongue-and-groove wood ceiling and wall panels. “We value clients we can build relationships with while enabling them to deliver the services at which they excel and enhance the communities around them,” said Jeff Metzger, project manager at The Neenan Company. “Through our continued work with Premier Members Credit Union, we understand their brand promise to provide a place where members can be supported in their banking needs for themselves, their homes and their businesses. We replicated that intention in these locations with warm tones and areas where people feel safe, understood and welcome. At the same time, member security remained at the forefront throughout the project, to ensure employees’ and members’ privacy is addressed and protected.” With sustainability as a brand pillar for Premier Members, the projects’ design and construction practices bring a concentrated focus on conservation and are delivered to LEED practices. Neenan’s industry-leading design and construction practices include digital applications to limit use of paper, utilizing recycled and green materials such as low VOC products, and integrating energy-efficient appliances such as LED lighting. The sustainable project practices reinforce Premier Members Credit Union’s environmental responsibility standards, as the first financial institution in the nation to hire a sustainability specialist. The projects are the latest examples of the credit union’s efforts to help employees, members, partners, and other financial institutions reduce the footprint they leave on the environment with a focus on waste reduction, energy and water usage, and paper consumption. Credit unions’ unique characteristics produce significant pro-consumer benefits, according to CUNA’s 2022 National Voters Poll. Conducted in January, the poll shows credit union characteristics unambiguously translate to greater financial resilience and higher levels of financial well-being for credit union members. “These numbers paint a compelling picture that the credit union difference improves members’ financial well-being and advancing the communities they serve,” said CUNA Chief Economist Mike Schenk. “Most importantly, this data comes directly from consumers and shows the stark difference between credit union members and non-members. It demonstrates that credit unions continue to do right by their members. Modernizing fields of membership would allow credit unions to do even more to continue to advance financial well-being.” Credit union members fare better across the board on the four key components of financial health: spending, saving, borrowing, and planning, according to the Financial Health Network.
The 2022 CUNA National Voter Poll also considers several factors indirectly connected to financial well-being, but increasingly indicate the kinds of organizations that consumers have obvious commitments to. This includes organizations that have an obvious commitment to the broader community—as expressed in corporate mission, values, and in daily operations and personal interactions. Anthony Robles, an NCAA national champion wrestler, author, motivational speaker and Mesa High School wrestling coach, will be the new spokesperson for Desert Financial Credit Union. “We are inspired by Anthony and his unstoppable determination,” says Jeff Meshey, CEO of Desert Financial Credit Union. “We’re delighted he has officially joined the Desert Financial family as a spokesperson whose passion for giving back to the community aligns so closely with our mission to share our success.” As spokesperson, Robles will appear in an upcoming Desert Financial Credit Union commercial, provide a member testimonial and participate in upcoming community events with Desert Financial. Robles will also be featured at the Desert Financial employee gym located at the credit union’s main office location. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without people who gave back and supported me”, says Robles. “I see how passionate the employees at Desert Financial Credit Union are about giving to the community, and I know we can do some amazing things together to help people in Arizona.” Robles, who has been a Desert Financial Credit Union member for many years, was born missing his right leg. He developed a passion for wrestling in high school and overcame great odds to become a two-time Arizona State Champion and high school National Champion. After college wrestling programs turned him away because of his size and missing leg, Robles walked on to the Arizona State University wrestling team. He finished college as a three-time All American and the 2011 NCAA National Champion. In 2012, Robles was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. As Arizona’s largest credit union, Desert Financial gave back more than $3.8 million to the community in 2021. The credit union’s employees spent more than 12,000 hours volunteering and participated in more than 8,300 random acts of kindness sponsored by the credit union in 2021. Credit union members nationwide are more likely to say that credit unions improve their financial well-being compared to customers of other financial institutions, according to a new white paper issued today by Credit Union National Association (CUNA). “We have data that shows credit unions return billions of dollars to their members and their communities, but it is especially meaningful to hear how members actually feel about the impact credit unions have on them personally,” said CUNA Chief Economist Mike Schenk. “The findings also illustrate the stark difference between credit union members and non-members.” The white paper, which consists of a survey of 2,500 voters, finds that credit union members are more likely to say that their financial institution has a “very positive” impact on their financial well-being than those who identified as bank-only customers (44% to 29%). Respondents were also more likely to associate their credit union with serving a socioeconomically diverse membership, granting easier access to low-cost loans, and having a more meaningful connection with their community. Bank-only customers were more likely to report that they don't have $500 in savings to cover an emergency, long a measure of financial well-being. The white paper shows that credit union members are also twice as likely to take advantage of financial counseling and education classes, engaging with their not-for-profit, member-owned credit union to build a more stable foundation for success. The white paper is available online at cuna.org/advocacy. |
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
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