The Best Credit Unions to Work For

#1: Weber State Credit Union

Category: Under $200 million in assets
Location: Ogden, Utah

www.weberstatecu.com

Assets: $98.9 million
No. of Employees: 38
CEO: Vickie van der Have

Weber State Credit Union drew on the reality TV show "Survivor" to educate employees about changes to its home banking platform.

The competition, which began in February and ran until mid September, pitted tribes of employees in a series of challenges related to the new platform, which includes both Web and mobile components.

They won cash, meals and gift cards for learning about its features, comparing it to rival products and coming up with new labels for menu items, according to Spencer Kitchen, Weber's member experience director.

The contest was more engaging than traditional training programs. But it also helped employees bond, Kitchen said. The teams comprised employees from different departments and levelsand no one was voted off, as happens on the actual show.

"Overall, we did experience a net benefit of having people working together and communicating together and building a stronger credit union," said Kitchen, who served as one of the competition's two judges. The other judge came from the marketing department.

"We hope to be able to do something like this again when we find the right opportunity," Kitchen added. Founded in 1957 as Weber College Employees Federal Credit Union, the CU currently operates four branches serving more than 9,000 members.

#2: Service First Federal Credit Union

Category: Under $200 million in assets
Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.

www.servicefirstfcu.org

Assets: $132 million
No. of Employees: 59
President: Travis Kasten

The bounce house is not just for children. Employees of Service First Federal Credit Union had the opportunity to try one at a recent potluck picnic held at the institution's main branch.

The evening get-together was one of many events and morale-boosters coordinated by a committee of CU employees. The committee, funded through 50-cent payroll deductions, also gives money to branches to spend as they see fit, said Autumn DeYoung, vice president of human resources for Service First. Employees in the main office decided to rent a soda fountain for the lunch room.

While some activities are just for fun, others serve a cause. An annual Easter basket sale, for example, benefits the Children's Miracle Networkand serves as a team-builder for employees, according to Mark Sundvold, Service First's vice president of operations.

Employees gather toys and other materials for baskets year-round, Sundvold said. "They're continually thinking about it all the time, which is a good thing."

Service First has four branches, serving nearly 16,000 members. It was founded in 1934 as the Morrell Employees Federal Credit Union.

#1: Atomic Credit Union

Category: Between $200 million and $500 million in assets
Location: Piketon, Ohio

www.2mycu.com

Assets: $218.8 million
No. of Employees: 128
President and CEO: Thomas Griffiths

Atomic Credit Union considered hiring an outside vendor to produce training videos for its growing staff.

But that would have been too expensive and probably a lot less fun than what the credit union decided to do instead, according to Julie Maple, Atomic's vice president of human resources.

The $218.8 million-asset institution bought its own camera equipment this year, and started producing videos in-house. Set up to look like newscasts, the videos have addressed topics ranging from bad checks to the differences between banks and credit unions.

"We try to get as much information in there as we can," said Maple, who co-hosts the videos along with the Atomic's general counsel.

Founded in 1955, Atomic operates 12 branches in southern Ohio. It has grown steadily over the last decade, but retains a family atmosphere, which was evident during a recent conversion effort that took place over Labor Day weekend, Maple said. "People were not complaining," she said.

"They were doing what needed to be done, and it was just great knowing that we were kind of in it together, and everybody was just pitching in and helping out. It really made things a lot smoother."

#2: AERO Federal Credit Union

Category: Between $200 million and $500 million in assets
Location: Glendale, Ariz.

www.aerofed.net

Assets: $210.3 million
No. of Employees: 45
President and CEO: Preston Sanders

At a traditional gift exchange, employees fight over flat-screen TVs, cases of beer and other appealing goodies. At the "white elephant" exchange held by AERO Federal Credit Union, employees competed to see what they could get rid of.

They dragged tacky stuff out of their basements, or hunted for wild and crazy items in stores, said Angie Avers, AERO's associate vice president of marketing.

Planned by employees, the exchange is among the creative ways credit union employees celebrate the holidays, Avers said.

Although they enjoy giving to each other, AERO employees also enjoy giving back to the community, and they do it year-round. Every month, for example, employees from the loan department volunteer and collect donations for a charity that feeds the hungry, Avers said.

AERO was founded in 1957 as Sperry Phoenix Employees Federal Credit Union. The name changed in 1999. Today, the credit union operates six branches in Arizona and one in New Mexico.

#1: Consumers Credit Union

Category: Between $500 million and $1 billion in assets
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.

www.consumerscu.org

Assets: $528.3 million
No. of Employees: 193
CEO: Kit Snyder

The calendar fills up quickly for employees of Consumers Credit Union.

The $528.3 million institution sponsors numerous events to spur employee engagement, including a holiday party, a football tailgate party and an annual networking event.

Employees also can score tickets to Consumers-sponsored theater productions and athletic contests. Also on the schedule are a variety of theme days, such as college team day, ugly sweater day and a Halloween dress-up day.

To top it off, employees can pencil in three sessions per year with a wellness coach, with up to $150 paid to employees who get physicals and take part in healthy activities. Quarterly wellness events sponsored by the credit union include ice skating and indoor rock climbing.Founded in 1951, Consumers operates 14 branches, serving more than 55,000 members.

#2: Alabama Credit Union

Category: Between $500 million and $1 billion in assets
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.

www.alabamacu.com

Assets: $649.8 million
No. of Employees: 175
President: Stephen Swofford

When decisions loom for Alabama Credit Union, employees can count on having their say.

The organization assembles employee-led teams, representing a cross-section of employees, to make recommendations and changes, according to Brandi McKinney, the human resources director at the $649.8 million-asset credit union.

Working together usually for 30 to 90 days, the teams grapple with operational issues, such as the rollout of a mobile-deposit product. But they also handle touchier subjects, such as the best way to implement a smoke-free policy at Alabama Credit Union. The policy is slated to take effect next summer.

"We know that that's going to hurt, so we're trying to make that transition as easy as possible," McKinney said.

The teams are popular among employees, she added. "They know that the senior team doesn't just give lip service to letting employees have input into company decisions. They live it and see it and breathe it every day."

Founded in 1957, Alabama Credit Union has more than 20 branches throughout the state.

#1: MSU Federal Credit Union

Category: Over $1 billion in assets
Location: East Lansing, Mich.

www.msufcu.org

Assets: $2.7 billion
No. of Employees: 578
President and CEO: Patrick McPharlin

Cookies and treats liven up the office at MSU Federal Credit Union, especially around the holidays. But employees have an incentive to resist sugary temptation this yearand an incentive to ensure their coworkers aren't tempted either.

A wellness challenge launched this fall is encouraging MSU employees to avoid weight gain during the food-friendly holiday season, said Kimberly Larsen, an HR generalist at MSU.

As part of the "Maintain, Don't Gain" challenge, employees are putting $5 each into a pot. Those who maintain their weight will win a share, and the credit union will kick in more money, depending on how many employees overall meet the goal, Larsen said.

The $2.7 billion CU has been holding quarterly wellness challenges for about five years, according to Larsen. The attention to maintaining health has helped the credit union blunt rising insurance costs, and continue paying premiums for employees and their families, she said."We're very, very pleased to pay 100% of medical dental and vision health care premiums."

Founded in 1937, MSU operates 13 branches serving more than 190,000 members.

#2: Tinker Federal Credit Union

Category: Over $1 billion in assets
Location: Oklahoma City

www.tinkerfcu.org

Assets: $3.2 billion
No. of Employees: 630
President and CEO: Michael Kloiber

An open-door policy encourages employees of Tinker Federal Credit Union to bend the ears of senior managers.

A range of internal and external resources, meanwhile, prepares employees to become the managers whose doors are expected to remain open.

Tinker routinely sends employees to the CUNA Management School, and is active in the Young Professionals Program sponsored by the Cornerstone Credit Union League.

The $3.2 billion institution also boasts an internal leadership development program, which runs nine months and includes stints working in every department. The program ends with a final project and placement in a front-line supervisory position.

Community service is not overlooked. Employees in the leadership program take part in a Tinker initiative called Hand2Hand, which allows them to volunteer during business hours at designated charities.

Founded in 1946, Tinker operates 27 branches serving more than 290,000 members.