Location: Orlando, Fla.
Assets: $2 billion
Asset Category Rank (more than $1B): 1
Overall Rank: 2
Assets: $2 billion
No. of employees: 564
CEO: Larry Tobin
In its 67 year history, Fairwinds Credit Union has never laid an employee off.
"Although we're a financial institution, we're not all about numbers and figures," said Fairwinds CU's Vice President of Human Resources Administration Lindsey LeWinter. "We're a family and deal in people and stories."
There is a concerted effort to ensure employees' "mind, body and wallet" are aligned. In 2015, Fairwinds paid $88,571 in education assistance and employees traded in more than 12,000 sick hours to be reimbursed for out of pocket health and wellness expenses. The same year Fairwinds matched more than $1 million in employee 401(k) contributions.
Over the last year, 94 of the credit union's 564 employees were promoted from within. LeWinter said there is a tangible comradery among the "crew." An example is the employee sick bank. In 2015, members donated 944 hours of personal time so that employees who hadn't accrued enough sick days could tap into the collective account.
The CU's "Holiday Wish" program provides employees with the ability to "make a wish" for themselves, their family/friends or their community.
"Our CEO, members of our executive team and – best of all – other employees anonymously grant wishes throughout the holiday season," said LeWinter.
To ensure all employees are as healthy as possible, the credit union annually assigns nurses to its 36 branch locations and offers free biometric health screenings and flu shots.
"When we take care of our employees, they take care of our members," said LeWinter. "When we take care of our members, our business flourishes. Providing a caring environment for our crewmembers is one of our core values."
Founded in 1949, the CU currently operates 36 branches and serves more than 172,000 members.
