Branch network

Branch transformation is a hot topic these days — it seems everyone has a different idea of what it means. When I ask credit unions what they think of it, I get a myriad of responses.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- NCUA has released Rapid City Telco FCU from a cease and desist order originally issued Feb. 25, 2010.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Banks are reducing their number of branches to increase efficiency and boost sluggish revenue growth, according to a new report from SNL Financial.

DOWNEY, Calif. -- Financial Partners Credit Union says its "smart" branch in nearby Orange, Calif., is working so well, it plans to open two more just like it.

MADISON, Wis. — Once again, rumors of the death of branches have been greatly exaggerated, according to a new study.

LANSING, Mich. – The Brighton Township Planning Commission on Monday night signed off on a site plan for Lake Trust CU’s new 100,000-square-foot office project, which would be one of the biggest credit union builds in the country.

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – Town and Country FCU is proposing to build a 40,399-square-foot office project in nearby Scarborough that would serve as office space for the credit union’s lending, accounting, collecting and marketing offices.

WEST JORDAN, Utah – Mountain America CU this week opened a new branch in Pocatello, its fifth in Idaho and 77th in its five Western states field of membership.

MECHANICSBURG, Penn. – Members 1st FCU is opening three more branches in Lancaster County, in Elizabethtown this month, Ephrata next month and Millersville in April.

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. – Fast-growing United FCU, one of a handful of credit unions to buy a bank in the past year, has renovated its 6,000-square-foot mortgage processing facility into a training center for staff.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Park Community FCU plans to break ground next week on its new headquarters, a two-story, 43,000-square-foot building.

FORT HOOD, Texas – Navy FCU opened a new branch, its sixth of the year, last week in Copperas Cove, near the Fort Hood Army Base, and plans to open more than six additional branches by year-end.

EL PASO, Texas – GECU introduced a new branching concept this week combining a credit union branch with a local tea and coffee café.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Teachers FCU opened its 25th branch – and first in Nassau County – in Merrick, signaling a new marketing push for New York’s second-largest credit union.

FAIRBORN, Ohio – Wright-Patt CU has acquired the 137,000-square-foot former Computer Sciences Corp. building in nearby Beavercreek for $22.75 million and plans to relocate its headquarters there.

Alcoa Tenn FCU makes no bones about why its Fairview branch is successful-business is booming thanks to the big retail store right across the street.

About six miles from Peterson Air Force base and nine from the Fort Carson Army Post, the Jet Wing Service Center of Ent FCU has a rock-solid segment of its membership that it not only counts on for loans and deposits, but even some free marketing, as well.

As more transactions roll out of CU branches in favor of e-channels, the role of the branch manager is changing.

The first day Jill McNabb stepped into her role as branch manager for the Bastrop branch of Greater TEXAS FCU, she moved her office to the front of the building.

It's not uncommon for Glenda Evans to step into the middle of a line of members, pull out her smartphone or tablet and show someone how to download and use the credit union's mobile banking app.