Gesa CU Expands High School Sports & Scholastic Program Support
“Enhancing this partnership provides Gesa a way to further impact students across Washington.”
The Richland, Wash.-based Gesa Credit Union is becoming the exclusive sponsor of a major state interscholastic association’s athletic and program initiatives, including the association’s Sportsmanship program, Scholastic Awards program and Women in Sport Leadership Conference, according to a credit union announcement.
The sponsorship deal, the terms of which were not disclosed, enhances a partnership already established between the $4 billion credit union and the non-profit Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, Gesa said in a news release issued Monday. Last year, according to news reports, Gesa became the lead sponsor of the association’s high school state championships.
“Gesa has built an incredible relationship with the WIAA over the last year,” Don Miller, Gesa’s president/CEO, said in the news release. “Enhancing this partnership provides Gesa a way to further impact students across Washington.”
Mick Hoffman, the WIAA’s executive director, said in the release that the “the goal of the WIAA is to partner with organizations that prioritize the education of our students while serving our communities.”
He added, “Gesa has demonstrated these same beliefs and the WIAA is ecstatic to partner with Gesa to provide lifetime memories for our students.”
The credit union, which has about 255,000 members, added that “with this new agreement, Gesa will play a more integral part in the WIAA’s strategic plan of increasing awareness of the benefits developed through participation in educationally-based athletic and fine arts activities.” Gesa also noted that the Women in Sport Leadership Conference is “aimed at instilling lessons of teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership and acceptance.”
“The WIAA was formed in 1905 to create equitable playing conditions between high school sports teams in Washington and provides access to equitable, fair and diverse activities such as forensics, track and field, eSports, bowling and much more,” the news release said.
“Both the WIAA and Gesa have a strong commitment to education and will continue to work together to highlight financial education and literacy in schools, including offering resources to classrooms across the state,” it added.