LAS VEGAS – Prime Alliance recently announced the winners of its second annual Mortgage Artists of the Year Award. The award is given to five Prime Alliance customers each year, and each award is based on asset size – less than $500 million, $500 million to $1 billion, and over $1 billion. Making the announcement at its annual symposium held here in May, Prime Alliance President/CEO Joe Brancucci said, "Every Prime Alliance customer is an artist. Five customers each year achieve mastery, and this is our way of recognizing them. Pointing out their special qualities helps us all learn from them." The winners were: Blackhawk CU, less than $500 million, for achieving 4.5% market share and besting its competition; Hiway FCU, $500 million to $1 billion, for its outstanding efforts in affordable housing; and Suncoast Schools FCU, over $1 billion, for its quality and consistency of member experience. Prime Alliance's `Best in Family Award' which recognizes the PA customer that has taken its mortgage business to new levels during the preceding year went to MidWest Financial CU for its purchase-money lending results. Among MidWest's achievements over the past 12 months cited by Brancucci in announcing the credit union's award were: building outstanding community recognition of the CU's mortgage program and achieving better than a 50% purchase-money lending ratio during the second-half of 2003. Prime Alliance also made a special award to an outstanding multi-site lending, and this year's award went to Members Mortgage for their service to New England's credit unions and for their business model. -

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