2016 was an exciting year for OCCU. We welcomed 19,464 new members to our family, ending the year with 138,840 member-owners! The Board and Management are proud to be able to combine exceptional member service, unparalleled value and committed community involvement to make a difference in the lives of our members and the communities we serve.
As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, we return our profits to our member-owners by offering lower rates on loans, higher deposit rates, lower and fewer fees and ongoing investments in services, technology and security to bring even more value to OCCU membership. The more our members are engaged and using our services, the more we can help members and our community in their time of need. We invest in helping to make the communities we share stronger by volunteering and making financial contributions to scholarships, local nonprofits and schools. It is this cooperative spirit that allows OCCU to make a difference.
Our steadfast dedication to providing the highest standard of service and going above and beyond in everything we do remains. Our employees are at the heart of our organization and they strive each day to offer proactive, personalized service. They work to foster strong connections and deepen relationships with our members. Part of our everyday work is finding new ways to anticipate and meet member needs and then enhance and design products and services with these needs in mind. It’s just one of the ways it’s different here.
Bettering the overall experience for our members remains a key focus. We have and will continue to make enhancements in our delivery methods so that doing business with us is even easier. We are committed to adding new and improved products, services and security to give you more than you expect and everything you deserve.
In 2016, we added new payment options like Visa Checkout, Apple Pay® and Android Pay™, as well as new Certificate options, additional ATM features and enhanced Business Services capabilities. We invested in data security enhancements and additional tools to keep our members’ assets safe. We brought forward new educational opportunities too and were excited to launch a new responsive design website with content to help our members plan for their financial future, build a budget, save for college, buy a home and manage credit.
In 2017, we’re working to expand our branch network with a new location in Wilsonville, and developing plans to make our online experiences even better. In addition, we’re focused on continuing to bring more educational content and opportunities to our members and communities. We’re bringing that commitment of education to our staff as well and will be strengthening our internal training and development opportunities so that we can continue to provide unparalleled member service and value with every interaction.
On behalf of the Board and Management, we would like to thank our member-owners for helping to make OCCU a strong organization. 2016 was a remarkable year and we can’t wait to make it even better together in 2017!
Best regards,