Despite growing acceptance of medical and recreational marijuana use across the country, legalization of the drug still remains a taboo topic for many. And legal marijuana businesses, which rake in a hefty share of revenue annually, continue to operate in cash-only environments and have struggled to gain access to traditional financial services.
In this online exclusive, Sundie Seefried, president/CEO for Partner Colorado Credit Union in Arcada, Colo., discusses why her credit union – which serves about 275 marijuana dispensaries, cultivators and product manufacturers – remains committed to serving the industry when its future remains uncertain.
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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.
