Industry Press
The Press Center allows credit unions and their partners to share important news and keep accomplishments front and center in the credit union industry.
BCU WEALTH ADVISORS, LLC HONORED AT KEHRER GROUP’S 2025 TOP DIRECTORS AWARDS
BCU Wealth Advisors, LLC is proud to announce that Kristi Mertens, CFP®, Managing Director of BCU Wealth Advisors, has been ranked #4 in the nation in the Women-Led Firms category by the Kehrer Group’s Top Director Awards.
BCU Named A Computerworld 2026 Best Place To Work In IT
BCU has been ranked No. 2 among small organizations on Foundry’s Computerworld 2026 Best Places to Work in IT. This recognition highlights BCU’s belief that taking care of our people leads to better experiences for our members. From flexible work arrangements and inclusive culture to professional development and fun onsite perks, the Credit Union committed
BCU PRESIDENT, CEO MIKE VALENTINE RECOGNIZED WITH HERB WEGNER MEMORIAL AWARD, THE CREDIT UNION MOVEMENT’S HIGHEST NATIONAL HONOR
BCU President and CEO, Mike Valentine, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement by the National Credit Union Foundation. This honor recognizes Mike’s exceptional contributions to the credit union movement, his visionary leadership, and his unwavering commitment to improving financial well-being for all.
BCU, AVIARYAI PARTNER TO REVOLUTIONIZE MEMBER SERVICES THROUGH AI FOLLOWING HURRICANE RELIEF OUTREACH
BCU and AviaryAI are excited to announce a significant strategic partnership as BCU invests in AviaryAI, a cutting-edge AI startup specializing in AI communications for financial institutions. This partnership emerges after a highly successful collaboration during the recent hurricane relief efforts, which demonstrated the profound impact of outbound AI voice agents on member support.
BCU EXPANDS EFFORTS TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEES, MEMBERS AFFECTED BY HURRICANES HELENE, MILTON
As the southern US braced for the impact of Hurricane Helene, with Hurricane Milton fast following, BCU swiftly activated its disaster relief assistance, fulfilling its promise to be “Here Today, For Your Tomorrow.”
BCU PRESIDENT & CEO MIKE VALENTINE HONORED WITH 2025 HERB WEGNER MEMORIAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT
BCU is proud to announce that President and CEO Mike Valentine has been honored with the 2025 Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF). This prestigious accolade celebrates Mike’s visionary leadership and innovation, relentless advocacy for financial well-being, and his profound impact on
BCU NAMED ONE OF 10 MOST RESPECTED CREDIT UNIONS IN ILLINOIS FOR 2024 BY CARDRATES
BCU is proud to announce that it has been recognized as one of the 10 Most Respected Credit Unions in Illinois and received the top spot by being named #1 Illinois Credit Union for Mortgages in 2024 by CardRates.com, a leading financial news platform. This prestigious honor highlights BCU’s commitment to service excellence and comprehensive
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LIFE. MONEY. YOU.® AMONG 2024 CU TIMES LUMINARIES FINALISTS
BCU is proud to announce Bjorn Larson, Executive Director of Life. Money. You.®, LLC (LMY) Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) owned by BCU, has joined the Credit Union Times LUMINARIES Class of 2024 Finalists in the Third-Party/Fintech/Trade Associations/CUSOs – Executive Leadership individual categories, respectively.
VISA OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024 SWEEPSTAKES FOR BCU – GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Thanks to Visa, BCU is delighted to announce the winners of the Visa Olympic Games Paris 2024 sweepstakes for BCU. Running from February 15 to April 15, 2024, the sweepstakes provided BCU Visa cardholders with the opportunity to win exceptional prizes, including a trip to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, simply by using their Visa®
BCU Announces 2024 Scholarship Program Recipients
BCU’s commitment to Empowering People To Discover Financial Freedom continues with the announcement of the 2024 scholarship program recipients. This year, BCU is honored to present ten distinguished Leader of Tomorrow awards – including the new Tom Hodson Compassionate Leader Award for outstanding leadership and commitment to service, and two new A. Rex Johnson BCU
BCU NAMED ONE OF 10 MOST RESPECTED CREDIT UNIONS IN AMERICA FOR 2024 BY CARDRATES
BCU is proud to announce that it has been recognized as one of the 10 Most Respected Credit Unions in America for 2024 by CardRates.com, a leading financial news platform. This prestigious recognition highlights BCU’s commitment to excellence, member satisfaction, and financial education.
BCU NAMED TWO-TIME GALLUP® EXCEPTIONAL WORKPLACE AWARD WINNER
BCU is honored to have earned the 2024 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA) for the second consecutive year. This award recognizes the most engaged workplace cultures in the world. Unwavering in its Purpose of Empowering People to Discover Financial Freedom, the Credit Union keeps members and employees at the forefront of every decision it makes.
BCU PRESIDENT, CEO MIKE VALENTINE INDUCTED TO CREDIT UNION HOUSE HALL OF LEADERS
Nominated by the Illinois Credit Union League (ICUL), Mike Valentine, BCU President & CEO, was recently inducted into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in Washington, D.C., joining a prestigious group of previous inductees from across the country. This distinguished honor provides lasting recognition to credit union leaders past and present whose commitments have
Heartland Credit Union Selects Aaron Rios As New CEO
EECU Named Best Credit Union and Home Loans in North SLO County
Redwood Credit Union Surpasses $1 Million in Giving Support for Redwood Empire Food Bank
Family Trust Federal Credit Union Joins Upstate Credit Unions for Habitat Greenville Credit Union Build 2026
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: March 6, 2026
22 Nonprofits Receive $69,400 in Grants from 3Rivers Credit Union Foundation
BECU continues expansion with new locations in Auburn, Liberty Lake, and Mercer Island
SchoolsFirst FCU’s Kristin Crellin Named 2026 CSUF Vision & Visionaries Distinguished Alumna
Coastal Credit Union’s Creighton Blackwell Inducted into African American Credit Union Hall of Fame
Hanscom Federal Credit Union Selects Corelation’s KeyStone to Advance Its Members First Mission and Long-Term Innovation
Credit Union West Partners with Arkatechture to Advance Enterprise Data & Analytics Capabilities
Vizo Financial Launches DefaultSleuth to Help Credit Unions Shift from Reactive Collections to Proactive Risk Prevention
For Immediate Release – Natco Credit Union Appoints Tim Frame as President/CEO
Final Weeks To Apply For LAFCU’s 2026 Write To Educate Essay Contest
CRIF Select Welcomes Julie Nielsen as SVP of Account Management to Accelerate Client Growth and Enterprise Value
Bipartisan AFFORD Act Will Strengthen CDFI Fund
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: February 27, 2026
SECU and SECU Foundation Receive Disaster Response Champions Award for Helene Relief Efforts
St. Cloud Financial Credit Union Launches CU-Digital Asset Vault™ — Positioning the Credit Union as the most Valuable Wallet for Member Digital Wealth
Appli CEO Tim Pranger to Showcase Real-Time Property Value Calculator at CUNA GAC 2026
Newsweek names Redwood Credit Union one of the Greatest Midsize Workplaces for Women
Ocean State Credit Union Selects Synergent for Core Processing and Integrated Services
eDOC Innovations Announces Product Enhancements
Vizo Financial’s March 2026 Education Calendar
Meriwest Credit Union Wins Top Honor as Best Credit Union in Silicon Valley 2026
Origence Ends 2025 with 17% Growth in Fundings; Expands AI-Driven Lending Technology
Xpress Data Inc. hires Kirk Drake as new President
Catherine Bryant and Jonah Kaufman of Coastal Wealth Management Recognized as Distinguished Financial Professionals by LPL Financial
Credit Unions Gain Edge with New CashBack+ Credit Card Rewards
ICUL Launches “Credit Unions in Action” to Showcase Statewide Community Impact
Heartland Credit Union Selects Aaron Rios As New CEO
EECU Named Best Credit Union and Home Loans in North SLO County
Redwood Credit Union Surpasses $1 Million in Giving Support for Redwood Empire Food Bank
Family Trust Federal Credit Union Joins Upstate Credit Unions for Habitat Greenville Credit Union Build 2026
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: March 6, 2026
22 Nonprofits Receive $69,400 in Grants from 3Rivers Credit Union Foundation
BECU continues expansion with new locations in Auburn, Liberty Lake, and Mercer Island
SchoolsFirst FCU’s Kristin Crellin Named 2026 CSUF Vision & Visionaries Distinguished Alumna
Coastal Credit Union’s Creighton Blackwell Inducted into African American Credit Union Hall of Fame
Hanscom Federal Credit Union Selects Corelation’s KeyStone to Advance Its Members First Mission and Long-Term Innovation
Credit Union West Partners with Arkatechture to Advance Enterprise Data & Analytics Capabilities
Vizo Financial Launches DefaultSleuth to Help Credit Unions Shift from Reactive Collections to Proactive Risk Prevention
For Immediate Release – Natco Credit Union Appoints Tim Frame as President/CEO
Final Weeks To Apply For LAFCU’s 2026 Write To Educate Essay Contest
CRIF Select Welcomes Julie Nielsen as SVP of Account Management to Accelerate Client Growth and Enterprise Value
Bipartisan AFFORD Act Will Strengthen CDFI Fund
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: February 27, 2026
SECU and SECU Foundation Receive Disaster Response Champions Award for Helene Relief Efforts
St. Cloud Financial Credit Union Launches CU-Digital Asset Vault™ — Positioning the Credit Union as the most Valuable Wallet for Member Digital Wealth
Appli CEO Tim Pranger to Showcase Real-Time Property Value Calculator at CUNA GAC 2026
Newsweek names Redwood Credit Union one of the Greatest Midsize Workplaces for Women
Ocean State Credit Union Selects Synergent for Core Processing and Integrated Services
eDOC Innovations Announces Product Enhancements
Vizo Financial’s March 2026 Education Calendar
Meriwest Credit Union Wins Top Honor as Best Credit Union in Silicon Valley 2026
Origence Ends 2025 with 17% Growth in Fundings; Expands AI-Driven Lending Technology
Xpress Data Inc. hires Kirk Drake as new President
Catherine Bryant and Jonah Kaufman of Coastal Wealth Management Recognized as Distinguished Financial Professionals by LPL Financial
Credit Unions Gain Edge with New CashBack+ Credit Card Rewards
ICUL Launches “Credit Unions in Action” to Showcase Statewide Community Impact
Heartland Credit Union Selects Aaron Rios As New CEO
EECU Named Best Credit Union and Home Loans in North SLO County
Redwood Credit Union Surpasses $1 Million in Giving Support for Redwood Empire Food Bank
Family Trust Federal Credit Union Joins Upstate Credit Unions for Habitat Greenville Credit Union Build 2026
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: March 6, 2026
22 Nonprofits Receive $69,400 in Grants from 3Rivers Credit Union Foundation
