MIRIMAR, Fla. – Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union has taken the term "ice-breaker" to a whole new level with its new Hometown Awareness Program. The $1.7 billion credit union has provided staffers with nametags featuring their home state or country. After seeing a variety of retailers using a similar technique, EFFCU Sales Manager Diane Catani introduced the idea to senior management as a way to bring a new level of familiarity between members and employees. "Having employee name badges is a solid idea, allowing members to know who is handling their money. Adding the state or county is a unique way of adding familiarity and serves as a conversation starter," said EFFCU Marketing Director Gary Lanier. The experience offers the opportunity for a deeper conversation." Testing the program in the Miramar branch where staffers hail from Africa, Barbados and Jamaica to Brazil and New Jersey, the credit union reports that so far the member response has been very positive. "I actually had a member, with a big smile tell me he had just found out that one of my tellers was from the same town that he was from and was thrilled to have learned this about her," said Catani.