News

Western Vista Credit Union Named “Best Credit Union to Work For”

Cheyenne, Wyo. (August 26, 2024) — Western Vista Credit Union was named a 2024 Best Credit Union to Work For by American Banker.

According to the American Banker announcement, “Chosen organizations are selected through two surveys in conjunction with the Best Companies Group. The first, which is filled out by an applicant’s employees, gauges their perspective on eight different categories like role satisfaction, work environment and overall engagement. The second survey, filled out by the employers, looks at the benefits and internal policies of each credit union.”

Western Vista Credit Union is #61 on the list of 70 winners. There are more than 4,600 credit unions in the United States. This is the second time Western Vista received this honor; the credit union also made the list in 2022.

The full story can be found here.

WESTERN VISTA CREDIT UNION ANNOUNCES 2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND HISTORY-MAKING OFFICER TEAM

Cheyenne, Wyo. (April 1, 2024) – Western Vista Credit Union announced at its annual meeting that Cindy Garvin, Christine Kronz and Aimee Lewis were re-elected to another term on the credit union’s board of directors and Theresa Talmadge was elected to her first term.  

Garvin and her husband own and operate J&G Landscaping. She serves as treasurer for the Natrona County Republican Party and maintains the organization’s bookkeeping functions. She has been a member of Western Vista for 16 years and was first appointed to the board in 2021.

Kronz is a professional photographer and opened her studio, Christine Kronz Photographer, LLC, in 2008. She volunteers for Coats for Kids, Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Old West Museum and the Foster Grandparents program. Kronz has been a member of Western Vista for nine years and has served on the board of directors for six years. 

Lewis is a pharmacist and works for the University of Wyoming as a drug utilization review manager. She served an eight-year term on the board of directors for the United Way of Laramie County and is the secretary of the American Drug Utilization Review Society. She has been a member of Western Vista for more than 30 years and has served on the board of directors since 2013. 

Talmadge and her husband have owned and managed their business for more than 30 years.  She is an active community volunteer, supporting numerous non-profit fundraisers, the Central Wyoming Home Builders Association’s Home and Garden Show and Little League Baseball. She has been a member of Western Vista for more than 12 years. 

Following the annual meeting, the board of directors convened and elected its officer team. They are:

Aimee Lewis, Chairman                  
Vickie Nelson, Vice Chairman          
Christine Kronz, Secretary
Cindy Garvin, Treasurer                   
Tim Bolin, Assistant Secretary
Mark Mercer, Assistant Treasurer 

Talmadge will serve as a member-at-large. 

Lewis makes history to lead an all-female executive team. “My father completed a thirty-year stint as chairman of the board for Western Vista in 2012,” said Lewis. “This year marks the 50th anniversary of women securing the right to have a credit card in their own name. Today we recognize that women make most of the household financial decisions and I am honored to represent the female members of the credit union in this capacity.”

WESTERN VISTA CREDIT UNION NAMED DIAMOND AWARD RECIPIENT AMID RECORD-BREAKING COMPETITION

LAS VEGAS – (March 27, 2024) – Western Vista Credit Union was among 168 credit unions nationwide named as winners of the prestigious Diamond Awards – the annual marketing excellence competition for America’s Credit Unions Marketing & Business Development Council.

Western Vista Credit Union received top honors (Best in Category) in the E-mail – Single or Series division for its member onboarding campaign. The campaign and strategy were developed by West Edge, a Wyoming-based marketing, branding and creative technology firm, with guidance and oversight from Lorrell Walter, chief marketing officer at Western Vista.

Credit unions, advertising agencies and associations submitted a record 1,451 submissions for the prestigious awards. In all, 168 organizations from 44 states and the District of Columbia were selected as winners.

“Solid member communication is paramount to our success,” said Lorrell Walter, chief marketing officer at Western Vista. “As we consider our investments in marketing and communication, we first ask ourselves, ‘Is the product or service we’re promoting truly making our members’ lives easier and/or better?’ From there, we ensure the message for it is presented in an impactful, memorable way. With this recognition, we’re thrilled that our peers agree we’ve hit the mark!”

“We are absolutely delighted to honor Western Vista Credit Union and the other 167 winners with this level of recognition,” said Lesli Bishop, Diamond Awards chair and chief marketing officer at Family Savings Credit Union in Gadsden, Ala. “It’s evident that these credit unions not only embody the spirit of the credit union movement but also propel it forward with their innovative approaches.”

This year’s Diamond Awards marked a milestone, celebrating 30 years of excellence in credit union marketing and setting a new record with over 350 awards distributed – underscoring the exceptional quality of marketing work being produced by credit unions nationwide.

Chief Marketing Officer Lorrell Walter with Western Vista Credit Union’s “Best in Category” Diamond Award Photo Credit: EPNAC

 

Western Vista Employees Volunteer 4033 Hours in 2023

Cheyenne, Wyo. (January 31, 2024) – Western Vista Credit Union employees remain committed to serving the community. In 2023, the credit union and its employees have gave 4033 hours of support and service to the communities they serve.

Employees who have given significantly of their time (100+ hours) are:

Lorrell Walter (537.5)
Mick Finnegan (440.5)
Steven Leafgreen (437)
Dan Moss (380)
Tanr Tempel (209)
Crystal Mancera Meisner (209)
Lachelle Teasley (208)
Kerri Brown (180)
Melody Fenton (130)
Toni Ganison (106)
Rachel Zimmermann (106)
Daizy Parker (100)

WESTERN VISTA CREDIT UNION ANNOUNCES 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICER TEAM

Cheyenne, Wyo. (May 10, 2023) – Western Vista Credit Union announced at its annual meeting that Mark Mercer and Vickie Nelson were elected to another term on the credit union’s board of directors.

Mercer is the technology supervisor for the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities. He has been a member of the Laramie County Community College computer information systems technical advisory committee and has served on the governor’s link Wyoming broadband advisory committee. He has been a member of Western Vista for 40 years and has served on the board of directors since 2014.

Nelson has spent much of her life working at credit unions and retired as president/CEO of River-Rail Federal Credit Union. She has been a member of Western Vista for nine years and has served on the board of directors since 2020. She holds a master’s degree in accounting and earned the Credit Union Compliance Expert (CUCE) designation from the Credit Union National Association.

Following the annual meeting, the board of directors convened and elected its officer team. They are:

Mark Mercer, Chairman
Aimee Lewis, Vice Chairman
Christine Kronz, Secretary
Vickie Nelson, Treasurer
Tim Bolin, Assistant Secretary
Cindy Garvin, Assistant Treasurer

La Velle Van Voast, who served on the board of directors from 2019 to 2022, announced her resignation from the board of directors. She recently relocated to Great Falls, Mont. to be closer to family. She will remain on the board of directors for the Western Vista Community Foundation.

Pursuant to the bylaws, the board of directors filled Van Voast’s position by a board appointment. Frank Magazine, of Cheyenne, will serve on the board for one year on an interim basis.

Magazine is the former CEO of Melvin Brewing, Wyoming’s largest brewery, and has been a member of Western Vista since 2009. He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in chemical engineering. He has served on several non-profit boards and is currently on the board of directors for the Laramie County Library.

LORI MCLEAN RECEIVES BROWN-WELLS SERVICE AWARD

Casper, Wyo. (May 8, 2023) – Lori McLean, mortgage loan originator at Western Vista Credit Union, was named the 2023 recipient of the Brown-Wells Service Award.

McLean received the award on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the Wyoming Mortgage Lenders Association (WMLA) Conference in Cody, Wyo.

McLean has more than 11 years of experience in the mortgage lending industry and 24 years of experience in the real estate industry. She has originated more than 1400 mortgage loans, helping countless people realize the dream of home ownership.

She served 10 years on the WMLA board of directors and has served on the boards of directors for Casper Youth Baseball and the Wyoming Landlord’s Association.

The Brown-Wells Service Award was established by the WMLA in 2014 to honor an individual within the Wyoming mortgage lending community who exemplifies service above self in commitment to his or her profession, customer, and the community they live in.

The award was named after Mike Brown and Scott Wells who were both Officers/Directors of the WMLA Board. Brown was one of the founding members of the WMLA which was formed in 1986. Both individuals held high ethical standards in business and used their professional knowledge to serve the community in many ways.

 

WESTERN VISTA CREDIT UNION ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONS

Cheyenne, Wyo. (April 12, 2023) – Western Vista Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of two members of its team.

Ann Riney has been promoted to director of underwriting, assistant vice president. Riney has been a member of the Western Vista team since June 1987 and is the credit union’s longest-tenured employee.

Riney manages underwriting and the consumer loan processing department. During her tenure, she successfully implemented indirect lending and credit card programs and provides training on loan policy to the lending team. She has attended Creditor Law Center Mapother Bankruptcy School and received certifications from CampusMortgage on the Dodd-Frank Rollback and FHA Direct Endorsement. Riney was named to the Quarter Century Honor Roll by the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) in 2017.

She subscribes to the credit union philosophy of “people helping people” and has volunteered for numerous organizations, including Junior Achievement, American Red Cross, Juvenile Diabetes and the Wyoming Credit Union League.

Tanr Tempel has been promoted from indirect lending manager to director of indirect sales. Tempel is a seasoned sales professional and has spent the last 17 years in banking and healthcare.

He works with automotive and RV dealerships across Wyoming, as well as in Colorado, Nebraska and Montana, cultivating relationships to expand Western Vista’s lending portfolio in the western region. Tempel has been instrumental in the growth of the credit union’s indirect lending program in his five years at Western Vista.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from Montana State University-Bozeman. Tempel has received Western Vista’s volunteerism award several times in recognition of his community service to organizations such as the Central High School Athletic and Activities Club, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, BEAST Foundation and the Cheyenne Country Club, where he serves as the board president.

How to insure deposits

You may have heard that your deposits at Western Vista and other federally insured credit unions are insured by NCUA up to $250,000. That’s a fact.

Five things you should know about your credit union deposits:
  1. No member of a federally insured credit union — such as Western Vista — has ever lost a penny of insured deposits. The safest place for your cash is at the credit union!
  2. The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), is an independent agency of the U.S. government, which means your insured deposits are backed by the federal government.
  3. Your savings, checking, certificate, IRA and trust accounts can be insured by NCUA. Investment products such as mutual funds, annuities and insurance cannot.
  4. Accounts you may have at other credit unions do not affect your NCUA insurance coverage at Western Vista.
  5. Your money is automatically insured when deposited at Western Vista. However, it’s a good idea to periodically review the structure of your deposits to ensure that all your funds are adequately insured. Simply stop by a branch and speak to a member of our team or call/text 1-800-310-2197.
Did you know that, with savvy structuring of your savings, you can insure even more?

Structuring your family fortune to maximize NCUA insurance protection is easy once you understand the rules. For example:

  • Each account owner’s deposits are insured up to $250,000.
  • If you have a joint account, you could insure an additional $250,000, and your partner can insure $250,000, for a total of $500,000.
  • If you have an IRA, it’s separately insured up to $250,000.
  • If you have a trust account, it’s separately protected for another $250,000.

All those exceptions to the “insured to $250,000” promise can really add up!

If you have $250,000 in a savings account, $1000 in a Panorama checking account and $250,000 in an IRA, the savings and IRA accounts are separately insured, so you are federally insured by NCUA up to $500,000. However, the $1000 in checking is not separately insured, because checking and savings balances are counted together.

If you get married and open a joint checking account and deposit $500,000 (lucky you!), the entire amount is federally insured because half is assigned to you and half to your spouse. That’s because you signed signature cards to create equal joint ownership. Now you have a total of $1,000,000 in federally insured funds!

Are business accounts insured?

Yes, business accounts are federally insured by NCUA up to $250,000.

However, any personal funds that the owner keeps in the business account will count toward the $250,000 limit of the business. If the owner puts that money in a separate, personal account, then it will not be combined with the business and both accounts will be federally insured up to $250,000.

If you have questions about NCUA insurance at your business, please call/text 1-800-310-2197.

More resources

NCUA’s “Your Insured Funds” brochure offers dozens of examples and rules for structuring your deposits to maximize federal insurance. The possibilities are almost endless!

The NCUA’s share insurance estimator to run your own calculations and check if your deposits are adequately insured.

Why should I bother?

Is it worth the time to review how your money is structured at Western Vista or other financial institutions? In short, YES.

While banks and credit unions rarely fail — and regulators have faithfully protected depositors from losses — it’s ultimately your responsibility to decide how and where to invest your money. We are happy to help you review and determine how to maximize NCUA insurance protection for your money, but the final decision will always be yours.

4 features you’ll love about the new Thomes Branch

We can’t wait for you to see our new Thomes Branch! 

Here are 4 reasons to stop by today.
  1. It’s everything you love about Western Vista—now in a central location. Get all your banking done at a branch that’s convenient for you! Located in Cheyenne’s West Edge District, the Thomes branch is a quick walk from just about anywhere downtown or in the West Edge.
  2. You’ll get a “perk” you can’t enjoy anywhere else. We’re Cheyenne’s first (and only) credit union with a Ziggi’s Coffee inside! Settle in and get comfortable with your coffee in the lobby, or grab your coffee to go from the handy walk-up window outside. 
  3. There’s always off-street parking available. One less worry when you come and see us! 
  4. You can enjoy the cozy ambiance of a crackling fire any time. Consider our statement-making fireplace an open invitation to take a break, get comfortable with your coffee, and stay awhile. 

We’re so excited to be part of Cheyenne’s West Edge District, and we can’t wait for you to see our new branch at 1920 Thomes! See you there soon.

Rendering by Winters Griffith Architects.

Join us for the grand opening of our Thomes Branch… and Ziggi’s Coffee!

Be the first to see our newest home on Thomes!

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Friday, February 24 • 1920 Thomes

This branch has our best “perk” yet: Ziggi’s Coffee, located right inside the lobby! 

A quick walk from just about anywhere downtown or in the West Edge, our Thomes branch is the perfect place to grab your morning (or mid-day) coffee, get your banking done, and enjoy a cozy, comfortable space to catch up with friends and neighbors.

You’ll also find:

  • A walk-up ATM for after-hours transactions
  • A spacious conference room, available to reserve for public use
  • The friendly faces and financial expertise you’ve come to expect from other Western Vista branches 

Make plans to join us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, February 24, as we celebrate the grand opening of Western Vista’s newest home on Thomes.

Rendering by Winters Griffith Architects.