With over 81 years in business, United Methodist Financial Credit Union has provided its members with superior service and products aimed at providing banking and financial services to clergy, local churches, members and employees of those local churches, conference staff and affiliated organizations of theEast Ohio, West Ohio, and Indiana Conferences of The United Methodist Church.
Even as a strong financial institution with decades of experience, the Credit Union knew they had to evaluate the membership and markets they serve to ensure they are in a prime position to continuing serving their members of today, and those they look to acquire in the future.
“Over the years our Board of Directors and senior management have had many discussions about the possibility of helping other Christians and ministries with their banking needs by taking a more ecumenical approach to membership eligibility,” says the Credit Union’s President and CEO, Russ Abbott. “And with the recent approval by the state of Ohio allowing us to now serve a broader field of membership to like-minded Christians beyond the walls of The United Methodist Church, we knew we had to make the decision to select a new name that would resonate with all who can now belong to the Credit Union,” states Abbott. “So we took the strategic measures to research, discover and define the next stage of the Credit Union, which included a name that best represents our mission to help Christians with their banking needs.”
“From these measures,” expresses Abbott, “we are excited to announce the new name of the Credit Union is now Christian Family Credit Union.
Wanting to partner with a well-respected and experienced brand agency, the Credit Union looked to the nationwide industry experts, The BA Group, located in Northfield, Minnesota. “It was a pleasure to work with the Credit Union’s leadership and management team to explore and discover the attributes the Credit Union has always possessed, along with those they are committed to adapt,” said The BA Group’s CEO Amy Herbig. “Through our measures, BA developed the new name and brand identity that we are confident the Credit Union can stand behind and deliver to their members for years to come. This new brand also allows the Credit Union to differentiate themselves in order to attract and acquire the potential membership out there looking for a financial relationship where they can combine their Christian faith with their finances to help them reach their dreams and goals.”
The Credit Union’s name change doesn’t translate to a merger with another credit union, or that they are changing locations or staff. Per Abbott, “We are the same faith-based credit union with the team of individuals our members have come to know, trust and love working with. Our commitment to the people and the ministries of The United Methodist Church remains strong and unchanged, now with the ability to expand our reach and services to other Christians within the state of Ohio.”