The Best Credit Unions to Work For under $200M in assets

September 23, 2019 9:14 PM

These credit unions make being the best look easy.

This year 50 institutions made Credit Union Journal’s annual ranking of the Best Credit Unions to Work For, a project done in partnership with Best Companies Group. Credit unions on the list range in size from just 31 staff members and under $200 million in assets all the way up to institutions with billions in assets and thousands of employees.

But all of them go out of their way to take care of their workers. Many offer additional healthcare options, such as annual biometric screenings, access to physicians’ services over the phone and regular wellness fairs.

An explanation of how each year's winners are selected can be found here.

What follows is a listing of this year's honorees who hold less than $200 million in assets. They exemplify what credit unions have always known: you can still be small and make a big difference. Read on for highlights from these CUs. A special webinar about the Secrets of the Best Credit Unions to Work For will be hosted on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Register here.

Note: All institutions are listed by their chartered name as listed by the National Credit Union Administration.

Providence Federal Credit Union

Location: Milwaukie, Ore.
Assets: $140 million
Overall rank: 4
Asset category rank: 1

Reasons employees like working here:
· Senior management has an open-door policy for employees to voice thoughts and concerns.
· Staff are eligible for interest-free lines of credit.
· The credit union hosts monthly movie nights.

Pictured above: Providence Federal Credit Union employees wait to be judged during the annual ugly Christmas sweater contest.

Texas Tech Federal Credit Union

Location: Lubbock, Texas
Assets: $195 million
Overall rank: 13
Asset category rank: 2

Reasons employees like working here:
· Every year the credit union provides employees with stress-management training delivered by a licensed professional counselor.
· Texas Tech FCU encourages employees to bring their families to yearly events, such as company picnics, potlucks, holiday parties and a fall chili cook off.
· Employees receive a paid day off on their birthday.

Pictured above: Texas Tech Federal Credit Union’s mortgage team (from left to right): Averi Lewis, Crystal Barrett, Susan Daniel, Tom Couture, Alex Ramirez, Jay Herrin, Bridget Robison, Rhonda Bloodworth, Amanda Barnett, Lori Hill, Karen Wallin and Kelly Prayor.

More information on Texas Tech and it's winning history with the Best Credit Unions to Work For program can be found here.

Access Community Credit Union

Location: Amarillo, Texas
Assets: $130 million
Overall rank: 15
Asset category rank: 3

Reasons employees like working here:
· The credit union has casual-dress days for March Madness and the NFL draft.
· Employees have access to paid adoption assistance, such as reimbursement of agency fees, travel fees, legal assistance and paid time off before or after an adoption.
· Vacant staff positions are filled first by searching from within the credit union before posting the job externally.

Pictured above: Access Community Credit Union holds its annual Halloween costume contest.

InFirst Federal Credit Union

Location: Alexandria, Va.
Assets: $175 million
Overall rank: 17
Asset category rank: 4

Reasons employees like working here:
· Employees enjoy bring your dog to work days.
· All back-office employees have their own office.
· Summer activities include barbecues and spirit week for staff.

Pictured above: Infirst FCU’s Alexandria branch team members show their support for breast cancer awareness. From left to right: Ivan Paul, member processing specialist; Tameka Murphy, vice president of human resources; Kristina Johnson, internal auditor; Rebeca Mason, Alexandria branch manager; Nicole Todd, home equity and consumer loan officer; and Steve Davitt, vice president of strategic development. Front row: Vivian Truong, financial analyst.

Heritage South Credit Union

Location: Sylacauga, Ala.
Assets: $131 million
Overall rank: 47
Asset category rank: 5

Reasons employees like working here:
· Employees are given one week of bonus pay each December along with an annual evaluation and raise, if performance is satisfactory.
· Monday through Thursday are a business-casual dress code, while staff can wear jeans on Fridays along with a CU-branded shirt.
· During the holiday season employees get a paid day off for holiday shopping.

Pictured above: Heritage South Credit Union employees pose with emoji shirts that collectively say, “Whether we are happy, sad, angry or anxious, we are a family and that is what makes working at Heritage South Credit Union the best place to work!”