by alltru FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 17, 2020
CONTACT:
Laura Woods
lwoods@1stfinancialfcu.org
(636) 916-8303
1ST FINANCIAL FEDERAL CREDIT UNION SET TO REBRAND AS ALLTRU CREDIT UNION
52-Year-Old St. Louis Area Credit Union to Officially Make the Change on November 17, 2020
St. Louis, MO – 1st Financial Federal Credit Union announces the highly anticipated new name of their credit union: Alltru Credit Union.
1st Financial Federal Credit Union, created in 1968 by the men and women of the District 837 Machinist Union, will become Alltru Credit Union on November 17. Using the tagline The Better Way To Bank, 1st Financial currently serves more than 35,000 members throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County. As Alltru Credit Union, the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) will continue to grow by providing equitable access to financial services in all communities.
“For many years, we’ve existed as 1st Financial Federal Credit Union. A name that, while common and quite institutional, didn’t tell the story of us. The story that we have been telling anyone who would listen for 52 years,” said Carol Minges, CEO of Alltru, in a recent letter to the member owners of the credit union. “Alltru is a name that reflects our collective ownership, demonstrates our shared integrity, and separates us in the St. Louis market.”
1st Financial collected feedback from current members, employees, board members, and people in the community who had no relationship with the credit union, to develop this new brand. Through extensive research and creative exercise, the credit union was able to narrow the new brand down into a name that resonated with people who desire authenticity, integrity and collective partnership. One of the largest distinctions between a credit union and a bank is that credit unions are wholly owned by those who bank there. Alltru Credit Union is a name that points back to that distinction by reminding members of their ownership and influence.
Members of 1st Financial and surrounding communities will see changes in the brand in the coming months leading up to the official launch date of November 17, 2020. The tagline The Better Way To Bank and the credit union’s web address, TheBetterWayToBank.org, will remain the same through the transition.
Chairman of the Board of Directors at 1st Financial, Gina Hakenewerth recently said “We are so excited to present our members and community with this new brand. It’s important to us that everyone know we haven’t been sold and nothing about who we are is changing. This new name will help us grow and widen our circle of accessibility in our communities.” She went on to say, “Our name is changing, but we are still the same cooperative we have been for 52 years.”
While the credit union has changed their name, their staff, hours, products and services remain the same. For additional information, Alltru has created a web page dedicated to the name change at https://www.1stfinancialfcu.org/alltrucreditunion/
For more information about 1st Financial Federal Credit Union/Alltru Credit Union, please contact Laura Woods, Vice President of Marketing and Community Development, at lwoods@1stfinancialfcu.org.
About 1st Financial and Alltru Credit Union
Established in 1968, 1st Financial Federal/Alltru Credit Union is full-service community development financial cooperative whose mission is to improve the financial well-being of its members. With assets exceeding $250 million, 1st Financial serves more than 35,000 people in the community of St. Louis and St. Charles. For more information about 1st Financial Federal/Alltru Credit Union, visit www.thebetterwaytobank.org.