United Educational Credit Union, a $123-million institution based in Battle Creek, Mich., announced it will re-brand itself as "BlueOx Credit Union," effective January 1, 2016.
Membership in the now community-chartered credit union is open to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school within nine counties in southwest Michigan. As such, the credit union said it "recognized an apparent need to adopt a new name that more accurately reflects and identifies with the members and communities they serve as a whole."
Joan Miller, the credit union's marketing director, told Credit Union Journal that the name "BlueOx" harkens back to American folklore surrounding the legendary giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his companion, Babe the Blue Ox.
Choosing "BlueOx" as the credit union's new name, she said, came after "much discussion among our team, and it is based on many of the traits affiliated with the folklore around Paul Bunyan and Babe, such as strength, power, courage, hard work, perseverance and dedication. These are all traits that we felt embodied both our credit union, as well as that of our traditional member base (educators), as well as the spirit of the residents of the state of Michigan as a whole, particularly as we pushed through the last several years of our economy."
In addition, the name has statewide significance due to the rivalry between the football teams at University of Michigan and Michigan State for the coveted Paul Bunyan trophy.
"The name has strong recognition — discussed in classrooms and homes across Michigan — is likable, memorable and unique, which are all characteristics of a great name and brand," she added.
