BRANCHING OUT

Eastern Financial Florida Credit Union, Miramar, Fla., has opened its Palm Springs branch in Hialeah. The CU’s Palm Springs branch is a full service branch offering traditional teller services, auto loans, a suite of mortgage products and business lending services. In addition, the branch has a 24-hour walk up ATM and safe deposit boxes with a biometrics security feature. Heritage Credit Union, Madison, Wis., recently held the grand opening of its newest branch in Madison. The CU held a weeklong grand opening celebration that included a ribbon cutting ceremony and a branch dedication in the memory of Don Bacon, the CU’s longest running board member. During the celebration, members of the community stopped in for daily refreshments, to spin a prize wheel for daily prizes, and to take advantage of HCU’s special promotions on checking accounts, home equity lines of credit, auto loans and CDs. A community celebration was held on the weekend and the public was given tours of the new branch, free hot dogs and soda, and a chance to go into a money booth, where they could grab up to $1,000. Heritage’s new branch features a large lobby and waiting area, a state-of-the-art teller area, private rooms for loan inquiries, four drive-up lanes, an ATM and an Internet Caf. Public Service Credit Union, Dearborn, Mich., held a groundbreaking ceremony recently at the site of the CU’s new Romulus branch. The new location will serve as both its headquarters and a branch location. The 20,000 square foot building is scheduled to be open in Dec. 2006. Nevada Federal Credit Union, Las Vegas, celebrated the grand opening of its new branch in Pahrump. The new branch offers a teller line and extended business hours. In addition, the full service branch offers free checking accounts, competitively priced first mortgage and home equity loans, Visa credit cards and Internet home banking (with bill payer). Wright-Patt Credit Union, Fairborn, Ohio, held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Member Center, which celebrates its reinforced commitment to the Twin Towers Community. WPCU’s original facility in the Twin Towers neighborhood was located in the Twin Towers Food Mart, but usage of that Member Center increased and the services had become so highly valued in the community that a move to provide more space and an enhanced environment was a must. The Twin Towers Member Center serves approximately 1,600 members who have been able to make use of over $2 million in loan funds and maintain savings of over $3 million. University Credit Union, Miami, recently celebrated the groundbreaking of its new retail/support center located in the Tamiami Airport area. Slated to open in Spring 2007, the new 22,000 square foot facility will house administrative offices, a call center and a full service branch including ATM and drive-up tellers. This new facility will bring the number of University CU branches to seven. Guardian Credit Union, Prattville, Ala., recently broke ground on its new, state-of-the-art Prattville facility. Attendees at the ceremony included: Mayor Jim Byard, Jim Givan from Design Build Concepts out of Atlanta, Ga., the CU’s board, as well as various members of Prattville’s Chamber of Commerce. The new branch will take the place of a modular building that is currently on-site and is scheduled to open before the end of 2006.