ORONO – University Credit Union, a full-service financial institution with branches across the state, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Over the past 50 years, UCU has stayed true to its roots of serving its members from the field of education. This year, UCU is celebrating by looking back on its history, hosting member appreciation days and prizes, launching a new website and sharing new and exciting ways in how its membership is served. UCU’s employees, management team and Board of Directors remained focused on the mission statement, Prepare, Progress, Achieve, to actively advance the financial well-being of our members in every stage of their lives.
From rolling out new technology that runs behind the scenes to redefining the in-lobby experience, UCU is working in the ever-changing financial services environment to provide members with exceptional service and flexibility to fit their needs. Recent product additions for UCU have included an updated mobile banking app and interactive teller machines deployed both in branches and in drive up lanes. With more than 20 years with the credit union, President/CEO Matt Walsh explains UCU’s focus and intentions on serving its members.
“Serving members for 50 years is a great accomplishment for any credit union, and we are especially proud of this milestone accomplishment at UCU,” said President/CEO, Matt Walsh. “There are not many credit unions left in Maine and around the nation that still continue to have their original field of membership serving as the mainstay of their current field of membership, and at UCU we are proud of our heritage and our ability to provide unique products and services to the University’s students, employees and alumni and their families. Membership growth is always a good yardstick to measure against, especially in today’s competitive environment, and we are proud of our past growth and are excited about our future of working with all of our members in their financial life stages.”
In celebration this summer, UCU is running a member appreciation 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes which will award 50 cash prizes to 50 different members. The entry period is July 1, 2017 to Aug. 31, 2017. No purchase is necessary to enter the 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes and details are available at ucu.maine.edu.
From the first branch on campus in Coburn Hall at the University of Maine, founded as University of Maine Employees Credit Union in 1967, UCU quickly grew to serve others in the University System. UCU began serving Maine Maritime Academy in 1979, and in 1987 began serving alumni of the University of Maine System and anyone working or living in the town of Orono.
Growth called for additional space, and UCU’s first independent branch still stands today at 139 Rangeley Road on campus at the University of Maine. In 1988 this new branch featured UCU’s first ATM. Many changes quickly followed this big move, leading to UCU merging with the University of Maine Student Credit Union in 1990 and the opening of the first Portland branch in 1993. Opening a Portland branch was key to UCU best serving alumni members living and working in southern Maine, coupled with the proximity and convenience of serving the University of Southern Maine campus.
In 2000, UCU created Primary Mortgage Corporation which grew to serve more than 15 Maine credit unions with mortgage loan origination and servicing functions. Although Primary Mortgage Corporation is no longer active, UCU continues to provide our own in-house mortgage origination and servicing to members to this day allowing for UCU employees to independently provide a superior experience from start to finish and beyond the closing with local servicing.
The Union Street branch in Bangor opened in 2002 and featured personal computers on the teller line for the first time. Many exciting changes began to unfold in the 2000s, including UCU merging with BANSCO Credit Union which was a credit union chartered to serve the Penobscot County Board of Educators (K-12) employees. UCU opened two branches in 2007 to serve two additional University campuses. One was a new Farmington branch adjacent to the University of Maine at Farmington campus and the second one on Brighton Avenue in Portland which is a well-traveled commuter route connecting the University of Southern Maine Portland campus to its Gorham campus. In 2010 UCU opened two on campus branches at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and at the University of Maine in Orono. These locations now feature Interactive Teller Machines, or ITMs that offer live video chat with a UCU teller for members to complete almost all transactions that have traditionally been handled at a branch teller line.
In 2013 in collaboration with the Town of Orono, UCU broke ground at the historic Katahdin Building site in downtown Orono and began construction on its new headquarters and branch. When the doors opened exactly one year later, UCU proudly boasted a new headquarters featuring a large outdoor plaza that many believe is a key focal and gathering point in the heart of downtown Orono.
UCU continues to expand in ways to best serve its membership, including a campus branch at the University of Southern Maine in 2015 and a renovation at its Farmington branch in 2016 to provide better parking and access with a drive-up lane featuring an ITM, or teller by video. The start of 2017 was led by a complete renovation at its Forest Avenue branch in Portland providing members with an efficient transaction environment coupled with an embracing atmosphere combining the best attributes of both technology and in-person service. These updates, like all improvements done by the credit union, are focused to provide the best possible member experience while using the latest technology to be most efficient and effective in serving members.
Any cake? :)