Author: Jason Wood

By John B. Lund, President and Chief Executive Officer This year, America First held our Annual Meeting one month after the 80th anniversary of our founding—Fort Douglas Civilian Employees Credit Union was chartered on March 16, 1939. Although our origins are humble, the 59 members who formed this cooperative had one simple yet powerful objective: helping each other improve their collective and individual financial well-being. For 80 years, America First has endeavored to build on this same focus, bringing the same passion for service and a commitment to provide the highest-quality products & services, in the most professional manner. One…

By John B. Lund, President & Chief Executive Officer Dear members, I am honored to report on behalf of America First Credit Union and express my appreciation for your membership and support. This year, we celebrate our 80th anniversary—Fort Douglas Civilian Employees Credit Union was founded on March 16, 1939. Although our origins are humble, the 59 members who formed this cooperative had one simple yet powerful objective: helping each other improve their collective and individual financial well-being. Building on this same focus and passion, America First now stands as one of the strongest and most well-respected credit unions in…

By Glen Olpin - Senior Vice President & Chief Economist As economic expansion in the United States continues, we are approaching one of the longest-running periods of growth on record, with the 120-month benchmark likely to be surpassed in 2019. We expect this positive trend to extend through the year. Overall economic growth, as measured by gross domestic product, has seen ongoing improvement in Utah and neighboring western states. These have been among the top states in economic strength and we believe such strong performance will be ongoing. Consumers are leading the recovery, their confidence being at an all-time high.…

By John B. Lund, President and CEO It’s hard for me to believe another year has come and gone, yet I always appreciate this annual opportunity to pause and reflect on treasured memories & accomplishments. Additionally, it’s a time to re-focus our efforts toward achieving the goals being set for the months ahead. Reader’s Digest traditionally compiles its 15 most popular New Year’s resolutions. Here is the 2019 list: Get into shape Lose weight Enjoy life to the fullest Spend less, save more Dedicate additional time to family, friends Become better organized Learn something new Travel Break a smartphone addiction…

By John B. Lund, President & CEO As I write this message, I have very mixed and deep emotions. I always look forward to the holidays and the excitement, splendor, beauty, and feelings of good will they bring. At the same time, I realize there are individuals and families under tremendous stress, who are facing hardships, or who have broken hearts and cause to mourn. The holidays can bring significant peace and comfort during these times, yet in some cases, the season may seem to magnify the difficulties they are going through. I’ve also been thinking about the recent observation…

By John B. Lund, President and Chief Executive Officer I recently heard a neighbor refer to the buddy system in conversation, immediately bringing back memories of my youth and participating in Boy Scouts of America activities. Whenever our troop went on a campout, hike or other outdoor excursion, we always paired off and were assigned a buddy for the event’s duration. Additionally, each child received a designated number to remember and count off during roll calls. At the time, although I knew these were safety measures, I did not understand the true power of this seemingly simple procedure. Years later,…