BRANCHING OUT

Sebasticook Valley Federal Credit Union, Waterville, Maine, received approval from the Pittsfield Planning Board to build a new main office in Pittsfield. Because the CU has grown by 275% over the past eight years, it has outgrown its current facility and a new location will provide a more convenient location, greater parking and significantly more space for credit union operations. Construction of the new 8,000 square foot facility should begin this June or early July and President/CEO James Lemieux hopes it will be completed in early 2007. City of Boston Credit Union, Boston, has announced its newest branch in West Roxbury. Construction is well underway for the Spring Street branch and is expected to be complete in early July 2006. The new branch will feature a one-lane drive-up teller and a 24-hour ATM. Tampa Bay Federal, Bay Gulf, and USF credit unions, Tampa, Fla., have announced their newest cooperative branch location in New Tampa. The New Tampa branch is a part of Gulf Coast Shared Services and is owned jointly between the three CUs. Once completed in Sept. 2006, the two-story branch will offer full-service banking services for all three CUs. While the CUs will “share” the teller platform service for their members, loan officers and member service representatives will be represented by each of the three partner CUs. The downstairs will house all branch operations, drive-up capability, and a full-service ATM and the second floor will be leased to tenants. The entire facility encompasses 12,800 square feet. Riverfront Federal Credit Union, Reading, Pa., held a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for its new Shillington branch, located in the Shillington Shopping Plaza. Riverfront’s senior management, board, volunteers, employees, as well as other local businesses attended the event. Appearances were also made by Brittany Tranquillo from the Berks County Chamber of Commerce and Zachary Stetcher from the Pennsylvania Credit Union League. Tours of the facility were available throughout the day. The full-service branch will operate six days a week. Florida Credit Union, Gainesville, Fla., held a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 21 to commemorate the official opening of its newest branch in Haile Market Square. FCU’s newest branch features teller stations rather than teller windows and state of the art cash machines that help keep the money secure. This innovation allows for more personalized, accurate service and blends with the modern interior design. Redstone Federal Credit Union, Huntsville, Ala., broke ground for its new branch located on Winchester Road in Madison County. A ground breaking ceremony was held on March 22 and construction on the CU’s 18th branch began immediately. The construction is expected to be complete later this year. The new branch will be a full-service facility with drive-up ATMs, drive-up teller windows, and safe deposit boxes. The Winchester Road branch will be the second new branch to be constructed since the Big Cove facility was completed in 2005. Financial 21 Community Credit Union, San Diego, recently announced the relocation of its North County branch. The move provides expanded space, easy freeway access and ample parking. An open house and ribbon cutting ceremony were attended by members, area residents and representatives of the Greater San Diego Business Association and the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce. Staff, members and guests celebrated San Jose Credit Union’s newest fulltime branch, San Jose, Calif., with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house. Over 400 people attended the grand opening event of the CU’s new Downtown branch located just steps away from San Jose City Hall and San Jose State University. San Jose Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez and Council Member Forrest Williams presented SJCU President Judy Nissila and SJCU Chairman John LoFranco with a plaque welcoming the CU to downtown. The 2,480 square-foot, state-of-the-art Downtown branch will not only provide a convenient location, but also efficient, friendly service with the latest technological equipment. Air Academy Federal Credit Union, Colorado Spring, Colo., held the official ribbon cutting ceremony for its Foundation branch on March 17, followed by its grand opening celebration the next day. Attendees of the celebration enjoyed refreshments, prize drawings, free giveaways, entertainment by the Happy Day Party People, and a tour of the new branch. The new full-service, state-of-the-art financial facility that features a 24-hour ATM, cash withdrawal and deposit services, mortgage services and account access via a lobby PC. Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, Groton, Conn., broke ground for its newest full service branch. The Liberty Street branch boasts a drive-through facility with five drive-up lanes, a drive-up ATM, a vestibule providing an inside ATM, as well as kiosk and telephone connections for access to online and telephone banking services. Construction is due to be finished by late July. CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union, Alexandria, Va., held the grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting for its newest branch, the Front Royal branch, on April 13. As part of the grand opening celebration, CommonWealth One held a drawing for a digital camera and also gave away a stainless steel thermos and carry case to anyone who opened a new account during that week. The new facility provides a full-service ATM. Cumorah Credit Union, Henderson, Nev., officially broke ground on a new corporate headquarters building, Cumorah Plaza. Boyd Martin Construction, the general contractor for the project, anticipates completion in early 2007. Cumorah Plaza was designed by JMA Architects and is a 45,000 square foot office building. A 5,000 square foot branch location with drive-through service and 18,000 square feet of lease-able retail space will make up the first floor. The second floor will be for administrative and support personnel for the CU. The new building will allow Cumorah’s current administrative staff to reunite, as they were housed in two different locations before. Indiana Members Credit Union, Indianapolis, will hold the grand opening of its Carmel branch during a two-day event starting on May 12. The full-service branch has Saturday hours and is home to the CU’s Mortgage Services Department, one of the largest lenders in the area. The ribbon cutting ceremony starts the festivities that include, a symphony harpist, sparkling fountain, hors d’oeuvres and a cooking demonstration. The Carmel police department will be there promoting a child safety program along with “Cubbie,” the CU’s mascot. There will be hourly door prize drawings as well as popcorn and soft drinks in the parking lot. On Saturday, Scott Rowdy and the HANK 97.1 FM Road Show will make an appearance and the drawing of the grand prize $1,000 shopping spree will take place. The Carmel branch is one of seven new branches the CU plans to open in the next five years. St. Mary’s Bank Credit Union, Milford, N.H., opened its new Milford branch recently with activities that included a family day which had raffles, popcorn, cookies and face painting. President/CEO Ronald J. Rioux and Chairman Joseph Acorace dedicated the site and welcomed local officials and the CU’s members and employees to the Milford branch, the CU’s eighth. During the grand opening celebration, visitors to the CU were able to enter to win a $1,000 cash prize.