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A new credit union-sports organization partnership specifically aims to empower women athletes, according to an announcement Thursday.
The $2.1 billion, San Jose, Calif.-based Meriwest Credit Union has formed an alliance with Bay Football Club (Bay FC), a women's professional soccer franchise that was formed in April 2023 to represent California's Bay Area. It was the 14th team to join the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
As a result of the partnership, Meriwest became the official credit union partner of Bay FC, and will be providing custom financial solutions to the franchise's fans, staff and players. According to the credit union, the pairing also "aims to promote gender equality in sports and create opportunities for aspiring women athletes in the Bay Area."
The Bay FC and Meriwest CU logos. (Credit/Meriwest CU) "We are thrilled to partner with Bay FC, the team is well aligned with our values, making it a natural decision to step up and take part in their inaugural season, in support of the incredible talent and dedication of women athletes in soccer," Meriwest CEO Lisa Pesta said. "We believe together we can create a positive impact through teamwork and inspire the next generation of athletes to reach their highest potential."
Bay FC CEO Brady Stewart added, "Continuing to add to our partnership portfolio with a community-focused organization like Meriwest Credit Union exemplifies our commitment to our local communities and building a team for the entire Bay Area. We are thrilled to welcome Meriwest Credit Union to the Bay FC family and cannot wait to see the progress we make for our communities, our players and for women's sports."
Bay FC is set to begin play for the 2024 NWSL season.
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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.
