Branch network

COLONIE, N.Y. – Capital Communications FCU has purchased the site of a former auto dealership in Troy, N.Y., where it plans to build its 10th branch.

OKLAHOMA CITY – WEOKIE CU plans to break ground next month on a new, 22,000-square-foot operations center that will house the credit union’s mortgage servicing, accounting, collections, marketing and call center.

LAKELAND, Fla. – MidFlorida FCU has agreed to renovate the 90-year-old federal building here.

KINGSTON, N.Y.-A novel technology has brought 24/7 full-service banking to Mid-Hudson Valley FCU, helped attract hundreds of new members in 2009-at no net cost.

RICHLAND, Wash. – Gesa Credit Union said its new corporate headquarters here celebrates its growth and dedication to environmentally-friendly practices.

WEST SENECA, N.Y. – Western New York FCU yesterday said it has joined the state’s Universal Share Network shared branch system as an issuer.

ALTUS, Okla. – Red River FCU said it will build its new corporate headquarters on five acres at University Avenue and Gibson Lane that will house administrative departments and staff, such as human resources, training, marketing and student services.

SEATTLE – BECU last week held a grand opening for its newest branch, which is in the underserved neighborhood of Lower Queen Anne.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte Metro CU has agreed to acquire one of the three local branches being closed by Coastal FCU in the University area.

ANDERSON, Ind. – Madison County FCU said it has opened a new service facility in the parking lot of the local Wal-Mart, replacing its downtown branch.

CHANDLER, Ariz. – First CU, one of several large Arizona credit unions suffering big losses, this week said it will close two branches, one in Flagstaff, ending a 23-year presence in that city.

FORSYTH, Ga. – Robins FCU, based in nearby Warner Robins, has acquired a branch from Piedmont Community Bank that is slated for closing.

FAIRFAX, Va.-While small credit unions face a wholly different set of challenges in delivering consistency across all delivery channels, the antidote to those issues is the same medicine - a strong brand image.

RALEIGH, N.C.-More and more often, the teller a member is talking to might be miles away. That's the case with Coastal FCU here, which is using remote teller technology to upgrade its branches while managing costs.

EAST LANSING, Mich.-The headquarters of MSU FCU has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for earning a LEED certification as a gold building.

NEW YORK-When it comes to far-flung networks, it doesn't get much more widespread than United Nations FCU's reach.

SAN JOSE, Calif.-Long-distance marriages are becoming a growing trend, as more credit unions from one part of the country are receiving regulators' blessings to acquire struggling institutions based thousands of miles away.

SEATTLE-During a CU merger, the focus is often on internal issues such as personnel and eliminating duplicative costs, but CUs often overlook the need to ensure the brand experience is not diluted.

NORTHGLENN, Colo.-Several employees of Horizons North Credit Union here work late every Thursday night to call members and simply thank them for their business, with a soft cross-sell.

PITTSBURGH-A-K Valley FCU's recent to close a branch due to repeated robberies raises a question for some over whether operating branches in low-income or high-crime neighborhoods is a losing proposition.