Ensuring Member Success Creates A Vital Credit Union

By Rex Rollo, Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer

In a beautiful poem titled “A Nation’s Strength,” Ralph Waldo Emerson reveals the true measure of any country’s success. His verse, consisting of only six stanzas, has a deep and clear message. Emerson suggests it is the people of a society “not its might, riches or natural resources” that make it strong. Here at America First, we realize our health & stability are derived from the same source: the families & businesses we serve. This knowledge forms the basis of our motto, Members come first.

Further, the credit union’s mission statement declares our commitment to “provide personal financial services of a superior quality to the members/owners; our chief concern is their financial well-being.” The America First membership has been the key to our sustained prosperity for nearly eight decades. Like Emerson, we know the credit union was and will only be healthy and vital to the extent that it elevates the financial lives of those who join.

This can be clearly seen in America First’s operating results for the first half of 2018. We now have more than 960,000 members, all seeking exceptional, convenient, secure products. As the membership has grown, so too has our ability to offer world-class services. Even as assets exceeded $10 billion for the first time, by carefully balancing growth, we can continue delivering personal service of the highest quality, whether through our branch network, industry-leading mobile & online channels, or award-winning contact centers.

If we look at America First’s performance from a traditional financial perspective, we can clearly determine that the credit union is safe and sound, with reserves over 150% of minimum regulatory requirements. Those assets are then reinvested to make America First membership more beneficial. And so it goes, as members, now and in the future, take full advantage of what is offered to them, their position is enhanced and they enjoy greater value. In turn, their collective strength propels the organization forward, allowing us to provide the most advanced financial services available.

At your credit union, we take Emerson’s viewpoint to heart, the well-being of America First is inextricably tied to how well we serve you, which is why we are dedicated to the ideal that members come first.