KALAMAZOO, MI — ECCU held its 81st Annual Meeting at their Main Office on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, to celebrate the credit union’s past year’s accomplishments. “If I had to pick one word to summarize our credit union’s evolvement in 2015, it would be
momentum
,” said President and CEO, Julie Blitchok. “Momentum demands movement, which we certainly accomplished with the year’s progress of events.”
2015 began with change. Blitchok took the helm in March and a much-needed and highly anticipated new core processing system was launched in July, making mobile check deposits, Apple Pay™, online account opening and instant issue debit cards available to members.
ECCU emerged as a leader in mortgages, thanks to innovative products like a 7-year mortgage, and the new 15- and 30-year mortgage special with no money down and no PMI. The credit union also implemented a construction loan program and updated their HELOC product to allow 100% financing was a direct response to member needs and demands.
(View ECCU’s 81st Annual Report here.)
With member convenience in mind, ECCU eliminated the need to visit a branch to apply for a loan by offering ‘loans by phone’, allowing for an answer within minutes. Electronic signatures for loan closings means members enjoy quick access to funds.
The credit union also celebrated being named among the top four credit union SBA (Small Business Administration) lenders in the state of Michigan, a direct testament to the Commercial Lending team working tirelessly to be the preferred business lender in the area.
Between the new technology, product launches and updates, and tremendous loan growth, ECCU staff raised over $4,500 for three community organizations in 2015: Housing Resources, Inc., Kalamazoo Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Council and Kalamazoo Humane Society.
Incumbents Richard Cahow, Jeffrey Powless and Kimberley Rohr were re-elected to ECCU's Board of Directors for three-year terms, and the 2016 James E. Fetterolf Distinguished Service Award was presented to executive assistant Donna Blair in recognition of her 26 years of dedicated service and exemplifying the credit union philosophy of "People Helping People."
Blair, who joined what was then called School Employees Credit Union in 1990, started as a teller at the Gull Road office. Eight years later, she became an executive assistant; a role she retains to this day. Working closely with the CEO, executive team, the board of directors, and other credit union staff, Blair said, “I have enjoyed my many years working with the wonderful board, staff and members of ECCU!”
(Read the full article here.)
“Yes, we gained momentum in 2015, and that’s just the beginning,” promises Blitchok. “It’s an exciting time as we look ahead to our 2016 initiatives and focus on making ECCU the best place to bank.”
Live here. Bank here. Established in 1935, ECCU has grown from serving only Kalamazoo school employees, to serving the greater educational community, to providing a full range of financial products and services to anyone who lives, works, worship or attends school in any of our 21 Michigan counties. The credit union exceeds $409 million in assets and serves more than 37,000 members. Visit
eccu1.org
to learn more.
