Group Looks to Found CU in New Jersey

HIGHTSTOWN, N.J.–A group of credit unionists in New Jersey are working with the state banking department and a local community action group to charter New Jersey’s first new credit union in more than a decade. According to NJCUL Vice President James Merrill, Tri-County County Community Action Partnership of Bridgeton, N.J., approached the league seeking assistance. Tri-County is a non-profit group with the mission of providing services that improve the quality of life and promote self-sufficiency to residents of Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland counties. According to Tri-County CEO Albert Kelly, the group was interested in chartering a community development credit union in order to offer financial services to recipients of Tri-County programs. Among the issues discussed in the three-way talks were the chartering process and topics relating to starting a new credit union. Also participating in the discussion were New Jersey Department of Banking staff Dave Weikert, Thomas Hunt, Bill Blunt and John Pavlovsky. Other participants from Tri-County were CFO Edward Bethea, Freda Jones and Tim Behr.