Colorado CU Opens Doors on High-Tech Operations Site

BOULDER, Colo. – In a project two years in the works, University of Colorado FCU opens the doors this month on a “state of the art” $8 million operations and administrative center dubbed a one-of-its-kind high tech facility. The $633 million Boulder-based CU acknowledges its good fortune in finding the well-equipped building, which formerly housed operations of Xilinix, a San Jose, Calif. maker of software chips for cell phones. “This facility already had such a high tech infrastructure and contained enough power output to run our entire disaster recovery system and we still have additional capacity,” said Richard Jones, vice president of marketing for the CU. Xilinix decided to vacate the 60,700 square foot facility to seek larger Colorado space. The deal with U of C FCU was formally closed last June, but the credit union began its search for a new operations site in 2002 after outgrowing its Diagonal Branch. “In evaluating Boulder properties, it was imperative that we find a site that was located on a grid independent of our branches for proper disaster recovery functions,” explained Evelyn Polando, chief operating officer. The new facility, known as the “Wilderness Peaks Support Center,” was formally opened Dec. 6, but the Colorado CU decided on a formal ribbon cutting ceremony and all-day public tour for March 12. The CU said it was conducting “this rare look at the behind-the-scenes systems” to demonstrate the CU’s commitment to Boulder and better acquaint the public to the CU’s expanding role in the community as a financial provider. Indeed, U of C FCU currently holds 12.59% of the market, a notable achievement considering it competes with some of the nation’s largest out-of-state banks including Wells Fargo and Bank One plus a larger Denver-based regional banking operation. Apart from operations, the Wilderness Peaks Support Center is housing various departments including loans, marketing, human resources as well as administration. A total of 145 of the 220 CU employees are in the Support Center. The facility provides all of the tech support to the CU’s six branches as well as handling ATMs and online banking for U of C’s 76,000 members. Bill Sterner, president/CEO, said the Support Center was located within Boulder city limits as one demonstration of a “commitment to the future of the community.” The public tour, said the CU, attempts to show members and the public its high profile role as a “home-grown institution” while also underscoring the robust growth the CU has experienced in recent years. “We’re hoping the tour can be a real eye opener,” said Jones noting the U of C FCU continues to expand its products and services to a growing list of SEGs – 130 in all – some of them tied to the University of Colorado where it has strong links to the faculty, students and the Foundation. -