WARREN, OHIO – An innovative design of Seven Seventeen Credit Union's new Portage County branch has earned the Award of Merit in the International Store Design Competition sponsored by the Institute of Store Planners and Visual Merchandising and Store Design magazine. Columbus-based TRIAD Architects centered much of the branch's design concept on a unique approach to transacting financial business, dialogue banking. Dialogue banking removes the traditional barriers between teller and member, resulting in a personalized, customer service-oriented retail environment. TRIAD also incorporated interactive computer information centers in the Portage County branch to provide Seven Seventeen CU members instant access to useful product information. Bold, colorful walls and graphics help emphasize Seven Seventeen's new approach to banking. "We have removed the depersonalization that is sometimes associated with technology," said Seven Seventeen CU Vice President of Administrative Services Cheryl D'Amore. "And, removing the traditional teller line has provided Seven Seventeen members face-to-face service in a more relaxed atmosphere in the branch."