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The Value of CUs: If Only Gen Y Knew

As a journalist, I usually don’t dive into a new job as an expert on the subject matter I’m asked to report on. Instead, I become one, by reading articles and interviewing experts, whether the topic is technology or fashion. This job is no different. I went into it with...

By Natasha Chilingerian | Updated on May 31, 2011

As a journalist, I usually don’t dive into a new job as an expert on the subject matter I’m asked to report on. Instead, I become one, by reading articles and interviewing experts, whether the topic is technology or fashion. This job is no different. I went into it with only basic knowledge of credit unions, and over the past three months, my knowledge has deepened. And the more I learn, the more I realize: There really is no downside to CU membership for my generation.

One reason why I’ve assumed Gen Y would favor a national financial institution over a small, community-based one is the branch and ATM access factor. However, I recently met with the 28-year-old founder of the Portland, Ore.-based Young Credit Union Professionals, who informed me of CO-OP Financial Services’ CO-OP Network, which provides members of more than 3,000 participating credit unions with surcharge-free access to more than 28,000 ATMs in the U.S. and Canada, including 9,000 deposit-taking ATMs and 5,500 ATMs located at 7-Eleven stores.

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Natasha Chilingerian

Natasha Chilingerian

Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.

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