COLUMBUS-To get more small CUs to collaborate and pay extra attention to league messages and services aimed at them, the Ohio CU League has branded its small CU efforts.
The "Haynes Circle" is now the umbrella under which all of the league's small CU initiatives fall, and it will help provide small credit unions in this state with a common identity, according to Katie Walton, director of marketing and communications. "It's branding to help small credit unions here build a strong community. Our Small Credit Union Success Task Force said this was needed."
Haynes Circle was named after Rita Haynes, who recently retired as CEO of $12-million Faith Community United CU in Cleveland after 50 years of service. The announcement was made, and Haynes honored, during the recent OCUL annual meeting in Columbus.
The task force and the league expect the move will encourage more small credit unions to view themselves as one community and will begin sharing ideas and working together more. Becky Hart, SVP of advocacy for the league, said she thinks the move will get small CU leaders to pay closer attention to league communications and services that will allow them to thrive.
Targeted Communications
"Lots of times at small credit unions the CEO does most of the work, and that leaves little time to read through all the communications they receive," said Hart. "We hope that by creating the Haynes Circle CEOs will quickly see that a communication is specifically for them, see greater value in the item, and look at it."
Hart added the branding also moves away from always calling small CUs "small. Some credit unions don't like to be referred to as small. They don't think of themselves as small. They think of their credit union as a financial cooperative that is taking care of their members, and if they are doing that well, giving members the products and services they need, it doesn't matter if they are $10 million or $100 million."
The league has always had strong participation with its small CU efforts, saying it generally has 125 to 150 participants on its monthly webinar for small credit unions. There are 257 credit unions in Ohio and 65% are below $35 million in assets.
