Credit Unions from Here to South Korea Come Together with "Global Bridges"

Portland, Ore., August 9, 2021 – In another impressive display of the global credit union movement’s cooperative strength, four credit unions from the northwest United States have teamed up to build bridges with counterparts in Asia.

In collaboration with Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WF), the charitable and engagement arm of World Council of Credit Unions, Unitus has teamed up with Advantis Credit Union, Oregon Community Credit Union, and Rivermark Community Credit Union. Together they have developed an innovative engagement initiative with South Korea’s National Credit Union Federation of Korea (NACUFOK) through WF’s Global Bridges program.

After concluding his term as World Council Chair last year, Unitus President/CEO Steve Stapp remains active in developing the credit union movement worldwide.

“The credit union movement provides financial independence to people who don’t traditionally have the opportunity to save money, start a business, or afford their basic needs. The Global Bridges program is an exciting opportunity to strengthen our communities around the world,” said Stapp.

Delegates shared their first virtual engagement session July 27th and will attend several more virtual sessions in 2021.

“Advantis is very excited about the opportunity to learn from our Korean credit union peers, who are part of one of the five largest credit union networks in the world,” added Jason Werts, CEO at Advantis Credit Union. “By gaining a global, more diverse perspective of the cooperative finance model, we are able to find new ways to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our members, our employees, and the communities we serve.”

In 2022, a Korean delegation will visit the United States in person, while an American delegation will visit South Korea pending the state of COVID-related concerns at that time.

“The opportunity to listen and learn with local and international industry peers is a competitive advantage that is worth celebrating,” said Seth Schaefer, President/CEO of Rivermark Community Credit Union. “We are looking forward to the conversations and engagement.”

Ron Neumann, President & CEO of Oregon Community Credit Union, echoed this sentiment.

“Having the opportunity to participate in a program that extends the unique collaborative nature of credit unions across the world is very exciting,” said Neumann. “We look forward to sharing with and learning from the South Korean credit union system, with the hope of all participants coming away with new ideas on how to best support our members.”

In this, the first iteration of the Worldwide Foundation’s “Global Bridges” program, Unitus will send as representatives: Assistant Project Manager Kat Popovich, IT Operations Manager Kevin Smith, and Senior Member Support Specialist Alec Shumway.

About Unitus Community Credit Union

Unitus Community Credit Union is passionate about helping people get smart about their money and take control of their future throughout Portland Metro, Salem, and the State of Washington. At Unitus, we’re dedicated to doing the right thing for our community with 24/7 mobile account access, Virtual Branch services available worldwide, and partnerships with nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life for all people in our communities. Visit unitusccu.com to learn more about our commitment to our members.

About Advantis Credit Union

With $1.9 billion in assets, Advantis Credit Union is Oregon’s sixth-largest not-for-profit financial cooperative. Advantis returns earnings to its members in the form of better rates, low fees, and more free services. Advantis is locally owned by over 83,000 members, has nine branches in the Portland metro area, and was recently named by Forbes as “The Best Credit Union in Oregon”. For more information, visit advantiscu.org.

About Rivermark Community Credit Union

Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon and founded in 1951, Rivermark Community Credit Union holds over $1.2 billion in assets and serves 85,000 members. Rivermark’s mission is “Building Financial Empowerment Together” by providing members with the confidence to make good financial choices with consistently superior financial solutions and trusted advice. For more information, visit www.rivermarkcu.org.

About Oregon Community Credit Union

OCCU was founded in 1956 in Eugene, Oregon. Today, as a not-for-profit financial cooperative, OCCU has more than $2.4 billion in assets, and its members are served through digital channels and 11 Oregon branches in Eugene, Springfield, Salem, Keizer and Wilsonville, Oregon. Most members live in Oregon and the state of Washington. Others reside throughout the United States and even abroad, keeping their membership active through online and mobile banking. Learn more at MyOCCU.org.

About the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions

The Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions is the official fundraising and engagement arm of the World Council of Credit Unions. They are on a global journey to transform a billion lives worldwide through credit unions. They invite all to change the world using credit unions. Visit doglobalgood.org to learn more about their mission.

About the World Council of Credit Unions

The World Council of Credit Unions is the leading global trade association and development agency for credit unions and cooperative financial institutions. They promote the self-sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Learn more about the World Council at www.woccu.org.