Keeping it local: Martha’s member story
If you didn’t know, OCCU started as a credit union for state employees. And while we’ve grown over the years and expanded our membership considerably, Oregon state employees like Martha still know where to go for their banking needs. For her, it was a foregone conclusion.
It was a natural choice, she said, but also a bit of a culture shock when she walked in. “It was just so easy,” she said. “Before, I lived in New York, and you go in and there’s panels of bulletproof glass, and you have to shout through them. Here, the people are giving you candy.”
While Martha appreciates the local values and personal connection she’s received over the years at OCCU, it’s the knowledgeable staff that’s kept her as a member. She’s trusted us with her checking, savings, mortgages and retirement accounts. When dealing with her inherited IRAs, she said, the big banks were unable to deliver.
“OCCU immediately knew what was going on and knew all the ins and outs of it. … They saved me from a lot of blunders over the years.”
We’re proud to have Martha as a member. It’s a relationship that has lasted years and will continue.
“I know this sounds bizarre, but when I was thinking about moving away, I thought, 'Could I actually leave the credit union? I’m never going to get a credit union this good again.”’
The good news — for her and for all our members — is once you’re a member, that relationship lasts as long as you want. Move away if you must; we’ll still be here!
But we’re happier when you’re nearby so we can see your smiling faces.