Two 87-Year-Old Credit Unions Unveil New Names

Two credit unions in the Eastern U.S. announced name changes this past week – the $1.9 billion Northeast Credit Union in Portsmouth, N.H., will become Lighthouse Credit Union this summer, while Greensboro Municipal Federal Credit Union ($17.5 million, Greensboro, N.C.) has already rebranded to Revity Federal Credit Union.

The 87-year-old Northeast CU said the name “Lighthouse” was chosen as “the essence of a lighthouse conveys guidance and direction, serving as a beacon for navigational aid – strong principles that the credit union will use to serve its members.” Along with the new name, Northeast CU introduced a new slogan, which it called a “brand promise”: Good for you, Good for all.

“Our members are at the heart of everything we do. We are constantly asking ourselves – how can we better serve our members to help them build a brighter future for themselves and their communities,” Ryan Grace, vice president of brand for Northeast CU, stated. “We believe the new brand reflects our culture of putting the member at the center of our story, enabling them to achieve personal financial success that also benefits the world around them.”

According to a Q&A on Northeast CU’s website, changes to its branches including exterior signage, as well as its marketing collateral, website, digital banking, documents and social media, will be rolled out this summer with “minimal” member service interruptions. Members will also be required to update their mobile banking apps to a new version that reflects the new name.

North Carolina’s Revity – which has also been in business 87 years – said its new name stands for “a combination of revitalization and community.”

“It speaks to our mission and vision of using financial education and meeting people where they’re at to empower our members and the communities we serve,” Revity Board Chairman Gregory Jenkins, II said. “Much like the city [of Greensboro] itself, we are evolving to embrace a brighter financial future for everyone.”

In regard to the name change, Revity President/CEO Jerry Wise commented, “After COVID we reflected on how not just the financial industry changed but how all businesses and consumer behaviors changed. We knew we needed to do something different to stay relevant to our members and business partners. We wanted to make sure everyone knew about our inclusivity, all while staying true to the credit union philosophy of people helping people or, like we say it, Making Lives Better.”