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 EARNS 2026-2027 GREAT PLACE TO WORK CERTIFICATION™
BCU is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at the Credit Union. This year, 88% of BCU employees said it’s a great place to work – ranking 31 points higher than the average US company.
Hannah Blumberg
May 20, 2026
BCU SHINES IN 2026 DIAMOND AWARDS HONORING MARKETING EXCELLENCE
BCU was among 181 credit unions nationwide honored with the prestigious Diamond Awards at the America’s Credit Unions Marketing, PR & Development Council’s annual competition recognizing excellence in credit union marketing.
Hannah Blumberg
April 9, 2026
BAXTER CREDIT UNION (BCU) ANNOUNCES CEO SUCCESSION PLAN
Baxter Credit Union (BCU) today announced that following regular succession planning discussions with the Board of Directors, BCU’s President/CEO, Michael G. Valentine, has informed the Board of his decision to retire in 2027.
Hannah Blumberg
March 24, 2026
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.
Hannah Blumberg
January 15, 2026
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
Hannah Blumberg
December 22, 2025
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.
hkaslow
March 17, 2025
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.
Hannah Blumberg
January 24, 2025
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.”
Hannah Blumberg
December 6, 2024
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
Hannah Blumberg
October 25, 2024
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
Hannah Blumberg
October 11, 2024
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.
Kourtney Ross
September 27, 2024
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®
Hannah Blumberg
August 16, 2024
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
Hannah Blumberg
July 26, 2024
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Celebrates School Employee Appreciation Night at May 1 Angels Game
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, sponsored ...
Tower Federal Credit Union Earns Great Place to Work® Certification™ Eight Years in a Row!
Tower Federal Credit Union is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work® for the eighth year in a ...
Gulf Winds Credit Union Strengthens Senior Leadership Team with Executive Promotions
Gulf Winds Credit Union Strengthens Senior Leadership Team with Executive Promotions Pensacola, Florida (May 20, 2025) – As part of ...
CUNA Strategic Services and Association of Vermont Credit Unions Launch Statewide Initiative to Drive Credit Union Growth, Combat Fraud, and Accelerate Innovation
CUNA Strategic Services (CSS) and the Association of Vermont Credit Unions (League) Services Corporation today announced a collaborative, statewide initiative ...
BCU EARNS 2026-2027 GREAT PLACE TO WORK CERTIFICATION™
BCU is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current ...
Corporate Central Holds 45th Annual Meeting and Announces Board of Directors
Corporate Central brought together credit union leaders for its 45th annual meeting on Thursday, May 14, at the Monona Terrace ...
Sharetec Appoints New Chief Revenue Officer to Drive Transformational Growth
Sharetec, an innovative digital banking and core processing software company serving credit unions, has appointed Gary Napotnik as Chief Revenue ...
Justice Federal Credit Union Announces Strong First Quarter 2026 Results and Continued Member Impact
As many American households continue to face inflation, rising energy costs, and economic uncertainty, Justice Federal Credit Union (Justice Federal) ...
Girl Scouts Visit Peach State Federal Credit Union’s Abbeville Branch to Earn Financial Literacy Badge
Peach State Federal Credit Union recently welcomed a local Girl Scout troop to its Abbeville Branch for a hands-on financial ...
Tower Wealth Management Surpasses $1 Billion in Brokerage and Advisory Assets
Tower Wealth Management, the financial and investment services group located at Tower Federal Credit Union, announced today that it has ...
Barbara Brooks, Teacher at Shriners Children’s Hospital in partnership with the Sacramento City Unified School District, Named 2025/2026 ABC10’s Teacher of the Year
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, in ...
CoVantage Credit Union Announces Appointment of Matt Kaudy as President and CEO
CoVantage Credit Union today announced that, following a nationwide search, Matt Kaudy has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, ...
Chris Felton Receives One of the Credit Union Industry’s Highest Honors
Corporate Central is proud to announce that Chris Felton, President/CEO, has been named a 2026 Credit Union House Hall of ...
$59 Billion State Employees’ Credit Union Signs with Corelation, Selecting the KeyStone Core to Enhance its Member Service Experience
State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has signed with credit union core processor Corelation, Inc., announcing plans to convert to the ...
$59 Billion State Employees’ Credit Union Signs with Corelation, Selecting the KeyStone Core to Enhance its Member Service Experience
State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has signed with credit union core processor Corelation, Inc., announcing plans to convert to the ...
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: May 15, 2026
Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Credit Unions Demonstrate Strength And Stability In First Quarter 2026
Washington, DC – At a time when many American households are facing persistent inflation, rising energy costs, and economic uncertainty, the ...
Gulf Winds Welcomes Pete Lauter as Vice President of Wealth Management
Pensacola, Florida (May 14, 2026) – Gulf Winds Credit Union is pleased to announce that Pete Lauter has joined the ...
Coastal Credit Union Foundation Announces $300k in Grants for Q1 2026
The Coastal Credit Union Foundation has awarded $310,500 to 20 nonprofits in North Carolina during its Q1 2026 grant cycle. ...
Family Trust Foundation Hosts 18th Annual Charity Golf Tournament
The Family Trust Foundation, the charitable arm of Family Trust Federal Credit Union, announced today its upcoming Family Trust Charity ...
From Risk into Readiness: An Inside Look at Vizo Financial’s 2026 Risk Management Conference
Packed with educational sessions by risk management experts and opportunities to discuss ideas, as well as practical solutions, with credit ...
CUES Leadership & Organizational Services Brings Tailored Strategic Solutions to the Industry
Credit unions facing complex challenges now have a trusted industry advisor to turn to: CUES Leadership & Organizational Services.
NASCUS Opens Pierre Jay Award Nominations, Reveals 2026 Summit Agenda and Speakers
The National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (NASCUS) is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Pierre Jay Award, the ...
ALM First Welcomes Matt Motyka as Director, Advisory Services
Dallas, Texas – ALM First, a strategic partner to more than 350 financial institutions nationwide, is pleased to welcome Matt ...
Free May 30 mixer to help entrepreneurs market their businesses
LANSING, Mich. — For many entrepreneurs, having a strong business idea is only the beginning. Knowing how to tell that ...
Greater Texas Credit Union Promotes Lisa Back to EVP
Greater Texas|Aggieland Credit Union has promoted Lisa Back, CFO, to Executive Vice President. Since joining the credit union in late ...
Harvard Federal Credit Union Selects Arkatechture as Its Data Analytics Partner
Harvard Federal Credit Union is Partnering with Arkatechture to Strengthen Data Strategy, Enhance Decision-Making, and Deliver Greater Value to Members
Redwood Credit Union celebrates local entrepreneurs during Small Business Month
During Small Business Month, Redwood Credit Union (RCU)—a full-service Northern California and Bay Area credit union providing personal and business ...
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: May 08, 2026
Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Hometown Bank Selects Square 1 Credit Suite by Suntell
Hometown Bank has selected the Square 1 Credit Suite by Suntell as its commercial loan management solution, reinforcing its commitment ...
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Celebrates School Employee Appreciation Night at May 1 Angels Game
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, sponsored ...
Tower Federal Credit Union Earns Great Place to Work® Certification™ Eight Years in a Row!
Tower Federal Credit Union is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work® for the eighth year in a ...
Gulf Winds Credit Union Strengthens Senior Leadership Team with Executive Promotions
Gulf Winds Credit Union Strengthens Senior Leadership Team with Executive Promotions Pensacola, Florida (May 20, 2025) – As part of ...
CUNA Strategic Services and Association of Vermont Credit Unions Launch Statewide Initiative to Drive Credit Union Growth, Combat Fraud, and Accelerate Innovation
CUNA Strategic Services (CSS) and the Association of Vermont Credit Unions (League) Services Corporation today announced a collaborative, statewide initiative ...
BCU EARNS 2026-2027 GREAT PLACE TO WORK CERTIFICATION™
BCU is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current ...
Corporate Central Holds 45th Annual Meeting and Announces Board of Directors
Corporate Central brought together credit union leaders for its 45th annual meeting on Thursday, May 14, at the Monona Terrace ...
Sharetec Appoints New Chief Revenue Officer to Drive Transformational Growth
Sharetec, an innovative digital banking and core processing software company serving credit unions, has appointed Gary Napotnik as Chief Revenue ...
Justice Federal Credit Union Announces Strong First Quarter 2026 Results and Continued Member Impact
As many American households continue to face inflation, rising energy costs, and economic uncertainty, Justice Federal Credit Union (Justice Federal) ...
Girl Scouts Visit Peach State Federal Credit Union’s Abbeville Branch to Earn Financial Literacy Badge
Peach State Federal Credit Union recently welcomed a local Girl Scout troop to its Abbeville Branch for a hands-on financial ...
Tower Wealth Management Surpasses $1 Billion in Brokerage and Advisory Assets
Tower Wealth Management, the financial and investment services group located at Tower Federal Credit Union, announced today that it has ...
Barbara Brooks, Teacher at Shriners Children’s Hospital in partnership with the Sacramento City Unified School District, Named 2025/2026 ABC10’s Teacher of the Year
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, in ...
CoVantage Credit Union Announces Appointment of Matt Kaudy as President and CEO
CoVantage Credit Union today announced that, following a nationwide search, Matt Kaudy has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, ...
Chris Felton Receives One of the Credit Union Industry’s Highest Honors
Corporate Central is proud to announce that Chris Felton, President/CEO, has been named a 2026 Credit Union House Hall of ...
$59 Billion State Employees’ Credit Union Signs with Corelation, Selecting the KeyStone Core to Enhance its Member Service Experience
State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has signed with credit union core processor Corelation, Inc., announcing plans to convert to the ...
$59 Billion State Employees’ Credit Union Signs with Corelation, Selecting the KeyStone Core to Enhance its Member Service Experience
State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has signed with credit union core processor Corelation, Inc., announcing plans to convert to the ...
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: May 15, 2026
Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Credit Unions Demonstrate Strength And Stability In First Quarter 2026
Washington, DC – At a time when many American households are facing persistent inflation, rising energy costs, and economic uncertainty, the ...
Gulf Winds Welcomes Pete Lauter as Vice President of Wealth Management
Pensacola, Florida (May 14, 2026) – Gulf Winds Credit Union is pleased to announce that Pete Lauter has joined the ...
Coastal Credit Union Foundation Announces $300k in Grants for Q1 2026
The Coastal Credit Union Foundation has awarded $310,500 to 20 nonprofits in North Carolina during its Q1 2026 grant cycle. ...
Family Trust Foundation Hosts 18th Annual Charity Golf Tournament
The Family Trust Foundation, the charitable arm of Family Trust Federal Credit Union, announced today its upcoming Family Trust Charity ...
From Risk into Readiness: An Inside Look at Vizo Financial’s 2026 Risk Management Conference
Packed with educational sessions by risk management experts and opportunities to discuss ideas, as well as practical solutions, with credit ...
CUES Leadership & Organizational Services Brings Tailored Strategic Solutions to the Industry
Credit unions facing complex challenges now have a trusted industry advisor to turn to: CUES Leadership & Organizational Services.
NASCUS Opens Pierre Jay Award Nominations, Reveals 2026 Summit Agenda and Speakers
The National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (NASCUS) is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Pierre Jay Award, the ...
ALM First Welcomes Matt Motyka as Director, Advisory Services
Dallas, Texas – ALM First, a strategic partner to more than 350 financial institutions nationwide, is pleased to welcome Matt ...
Free May 30 mixer to help entrepreneurs market their businesses
LANSING, Mich. — For many entrepreneurs, having a strong business idea is only the beginning. Knowing how to tell that ...
Greater Texas Credit Union Promotes Lisa Back to EVP
Greater Texas|Aggieland Credit Union has promoted Lisa Back, CFO, to Executive Vice President. Since joining the credit union in late ...
Harvard Federal Credit Union Selects Arkatechture as Its Data Analytics Partner
Harvard Federal Credit Union is Partnering with Arkatechture to Strengthen Data Strategy, Enhance Decision-Making, and Deliver Greater Value to Members
Redwood Credit Union celebrates local entrepreneurs during Small Business Month
During Small Business Month, Redwood Credit Union (RCU)—a full-service Northern California and Bay Area credit union providing personal and business ...
Baker Market Update – Week in Review: May 08, 2026
Released every Friday, BMU is a brief and informative newsletter that provides financial institutions a review of the week’s economic ...
Hometown Bank Selects Square 1 Credit Suite by Suntell
Hometown Bank has selected the Square 1 Credit Suite by Suntell as its commercial loan management solution, reinforcing its commitment ...
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Celebrates School Employee Appreciation Night at May 1 Angels Game
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, sponsored a special night to honor ...
Tower Federal Credit Union Earns Great Place to Work® Certification™ Eight Years in a Row!
Tower Federal Credit Union is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work® for the eighth year in a row—and the recognition comes straight ...
Gulf Winds Credit Union Strengthens Senior Leadership Team with Executive Promotions
Gulf Winds Credit Union Strengthens Senior Leadership Team with Executive Promotions Pensacola, Florida (May 20, 2025) – As part of its continued leadership evolution, Gulf ...
CUNA Strategic Services and Association of Vermont Credit Unions Launch Statewide Initiative to Drive Credit Union Growth, Combat Fraud, and Accelerate Innovation
CUNA Strategic Services (CSS) and the Association of Vermont Credit Unions (League) Services Corporation today announced a collaborative, statewide initiative focused on working together to ...
BCU EARNS 2026-2027 GREAT PLACE TO WORK CERTIFICATION™
BCU is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience ...
Corporate Central Holds 45th Annual Meeting and Announces Board of Directors
Corporate Central brought together credit union leaders for its 45th annual meeting on Thursday, May 14, at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center in ...