Best Credit Unions to Work For with $200M to $500M of assets in 2024

August 28, 2024 6:00 AM

For this category of honorees, the credit unions' leaders have been with their organizations for an average of 14.9 years — the second highest figure out of the four asset classes measured in this year's Best Credit Unions to Work For ranking.

Also interesting to note is that 35% of featured credit unions in this grouping completely cover the premium for employees' medical plans, while 33% of sub-$200 million asset organizations do the same.

For additional Best Credit Unions to Work For coverage:

Credit union employees participate in Prospera Fest, which is an all-staff training day.

Prospera Credit Union

20. Prospera Credit Union

Appleton, Wisconsin
Assets: $372 million
CEO: Sheila Schinke
No. of employees: 87

Interesting Fact: Prospera established a mentoring program for new employees within the last year to help them better acclimate to their new roles and understand the responsibilities that are entailed.

Unusual Perk: The credit union launched a milestone anniversary lunch with the CEO this year to commemorate employee achievements.

Employees during Security First FCU's 2024 All-Staff Training & Team-Building Day.

Security First Federal Credit Union

19. Security First Federal Credit Union

Edinburg, Texas
Assets: $487 million
CEO: Anthony (Andy) Reed
No. of employees: 134

Interesting Fact: Last year, Security First FCU launched its Drive Your Dream auto lending program for subprime members in a project led by a team of employees. After implementing the program in roughly 18 days, the credit union underwrote more than $25 million in subprime auto loans from July through year-end in 2023.

Unusual Perk: The credit union covers the cost of employees' diagnostic imaging and lab procedures.

Members of the Casper team take a step back in time for a branch-wide Halloween costume event.

Western Vista Credit Union

18. Western Vista Credit Union

Cheyenne, Wyoming
Assets: $261 million
President and CEO: Steven Leafgreen
No. of employees: 54

Interesting Fact: Western Vista hosts annual roundtable discussions with its employees to stay attuned to their needs and to gather feedback on how the credit union could improve.

Unusual Perk: Employees get discounted and interest-free loans for major life purchases.

Christmas gifts for board, staff and community members.

American Southwest Credit Union

17. American Southwest Credit Union

Sierra Vista, Arizona
Assets: $389 million
CEO: Jay Williamson
No. of employees: 69

Interesting Fact: American Southwest Credit Union launched Lumin digital banking and video banking through Glia, with plans to further tech adoption through new initiatives such as fully automated deposit account opening, access to the Federal Reserve's FedNow network and more.

Unusual Perk: In addition to providing employees with eight hours of paid leave for volunteer efforts, ASCU established a "Leave Bank" allowing staff members to donate up to 80 hours per year of paid time off as supplemental support for employees during special circumstances where they may have limited leave hours.

Landings' Cinco De Mayo celebration.

Landings Credit Union

16. Landings Credit Union

Tempe, Arizona
Assets: $241 million
CEO: Brian Lee
No. of employees: 58

Interesting Fact: Landings is working with the Phoenix-based financial education platform My First Nest Egg to offer members an app to teach their children healthy saving and budgeting behaviors.

Unusual Perk: In addition to interest-free loans, the credit union's Franklin Club provides employees with educational resources to learn more about credit scores, budgeting, loans and other financial topics.

Mountain CU employees at the Waynesville location prepare for Member Appreciation Day in 2023.

Mountain CU

15. Mountain CU

Waynesville, North Carolina
Assets: $336 million
CEO: Amy Woody
No. of employees: 78

Interesting Fact: Mountain CU helped establish the Business and Banking Apprenticeship at the nearby Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, North Carolina, to provide a pipeline of young professionals into the industry.

Unusual Perk: The credit union wants to ensure its employees aren't confined to a single role and encourages them to pursue their own career aspirations within the organization by providing one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Pioneer Appalachia Federal Credit Union's Green Chili Shootout earlier this year.

Pioneer Appalachia Federal Credit Union

14. Pioneer Appalachia Federal Credit Union

Charleston, West Virginia
Assets: $225 million
President and CEO: Dan McGowan
No. of employees: 41

Interesting Fact: In addition to significant payments upgrades like the integration of the Clearing House's Real Time Payments and the Federal Reserve's FedNow payment settlement systems, Pioneer Appalachia was approved for a field of membership expansion that triples its current member base.

Unusual Perk: The credit union hosts a weight-loss challenge for staff to encourage physical fitness.

Greenville Federal Credit Union

13. Greenville Federal Credit Union

Greenville, South Carolina
Assets: $440 million
President and CEO: Paul Hughes
No. of employees: 98

Interesting Fact: Greenville established a "Learning League" of employees who are subject matter experts to work side-by-side with new hires and new-to-role employees as an educational resource for expediting training.

Unusual Perk: Greenville has flexible schedules that allow employees in certain positions to work from home.

Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union

12. Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union

Denver, Colorado
Assets: $333 million
President and CEO: Christine Wiley
No. of employees: 41

Interesting Fact: The credit union partnered with CURevl to launch a student loan program, which includes educational resources for college planning and predicted salary ranges of different positions when the member graduates.

Unusual Perk: Rocky Mountain's spirit days allow staff members to celebrate holidays, culturally significant days and other themes with festive outfits and a potluck lunch.

Lookout staff members mark the credit union's expansion into Meridian, Idaho, with the groundbreaking of its new branch.

Lookout Credit Union

11. Lookout Credit Union

Pocatello, Idaho
Assets: $328 million
President and CEO: Doug Chambers
No. of employees: 75

Interesting Fact: The credit union's "30 is the new 40" campaign pays team members for a full 40 hours each week while only requiring employees to work a minimum of 30 hours.

Unusual Perk: Lookout offers employees personal loans in partnership with the Community Impact Fund for up to $3,000 at no interest. Staff members are eligible for a deposit in their savings account equal to 10% of the loan amount if they pay off the balance within an agreed-upon time frame.

Colorado Credit Union team members don Barbie-themed outfits last Halloween during the credit union's annual costume contest.

Colorado Credit Union

10. Colorado Credit Union

Littleton, Colorado
Assets: $383 million
President and CEO: Mike Williams
No. of employees: 70

Interesting Fact: As part of its community impact initiative launched in the last year, Colorado Credit Union has expanded its partnerships with organizations such as Dress for Success, The Boys and Girls Club and more. These collaborations are in addition to expanding the credit union's financial literacy programs.

Unusual Perk: Colorado Credit Union hosts events throughout the year for employees, including cook-offs, donut-eating competitions and other various wellness packages.

Canopy team members celebrate Halloween in 2023.

Canopy Credit Union

9. Canopy Credit Union

Spokane, Washington
Assets: $239 million
CEO: Charlotte Nemec
No. of employees: 55

Interesting Fact: Canopy has integrated PortX — a company specializing in APIs that help credit unions integrate third-party vendors into platforms and core systems — into its systems.

Unusual Perk: Canopy offers a paid sabbatical program for tenured employees and an annual summer get-together with staff members and their families.

Carolina Trust employees participate in the "Running with My Peeps 5K" race.

Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union

8. Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Assets: $404 million
President and CEO: Tim Carlisle
No. of employees: 99

Interesting Fact: Carolina Trust has worked to improve its technology suite over the last year, adding new digital tools to help detect digital banking fraud, streamline the car-refinancing process and offer Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Unusual Perk: Employees get paid days off for community service initiatives.

Eagle Community employees donate their time to the local nonprofit Bracken's Kitchen.

Eagle Community Credit Union

7. Eagle Community Credit Union

Foothill Ranch, California
Assets: $360 million
President and CEO: Scott Rains
No. of employees: 109

Interesting Fact: As part of a push to add several new loan types for low-income families and individuals, the credit union offers quick cash loans for financially challenged members as a more cost-effective alternative to payday loans.

Unusual Perk: Eagle Community offers 100% paid medical, dental and vision benefit plans for employees and their families.

Nymeo team members participate in the United Way Stuff the Bus campaign.

Nymeo Federal Credit Union

6. Nymeo Federal Credit Union

Frederick, Maryland
Assets: $364 million
President and CEO: Victoria Johnston
No. of employees: 84

Interesting Fact: Nymeo began offering full-service banking to cannabis-focused businesses this year and plans to build out the program with new products and services.

Unusual Perk: As a change of pace, the credit union hosts a quarterly food truck day where different vendors serve team members lunch.

Simplicity's mortgage loan officers recently visited Shirley's House of Hope, which is a shelter for domestic violence victims in Marshfield, Wisconsin. During their visit, the team talked with residents about financial topics such as creating a budget, the importance of establishing credit and how a credit score is calculated.

Simplicity Credit Union

5. Simplicity Credit Union

Marshfield, Wisconsin
Assets: $370 million
CEO: Nick Faber
No. of employees: 116

Interesting Fact: Simplicity is working to add depreciation protection waivers and improvements to life/disability protection for members.

Unusual Perk: With the exception of vice presidents and executive management, all employees' mortgage origination fees are waived by the credit union.

PCU staff with Slugger from the Double-A baseball team the Portland Sea Dogs during a member appreciation event.

PeoplesChoice Credit Union

4. PeoplesChoice Credit Union

Saco, Maine
Assets: $350 million
CEO: Luke Labbe
No. of employees: 62

Interesting Fact: The credit union is partnering with Cardhub to allow members better access to credit and debit card controls, as well as streamlined steps for loading the cards into a digital wallet.

Unusual Perk: PCU's Our Life Happens bonus provides employees between $500 to $1,000 to use toward expenses that pop up during the year and is available either for fun or serious expenses.

UnitedOne’s staff enjoy a laugh during a team-building exercise at the credit union’s annual training day on Oct. 9, 2023.

UnitedOne Credit Union

3. UnitedOne Credit Union

Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Assets: $300 million
CEO: Kim Rooney
No. of employees: 95

Interesting Fact: The credit union developed a "Dream Account" that works like a savings account but is functionally closer to a certificate of deposit. Members deposit a set amount of funds in the account and determine a date for when that account will "mature." Penalties are imposed for early withdrawals.

Unusual Perk: UnitedOne encourages its employees and members to use its in-house retirement and investment services center, and team members who meet with financial representatives during work hours are paid for that time as if they were still working.

PAHO/WHO employees at the DC Chapter Annual Meeting of the Maryland/DC Credit Union Association.

PAHO/WHO Federal Credit Union

2. PAHO/WHO Federal Credit Union

Arlington, Virginia
Assets: $327 million
CEO: Miguel Boluda Jr.
No. of employees: 34

Interesting Fact: The credit union is in the process of building out career paths for different roles across the organization to retain existing talent and to provide growth opportunities for professionals eager to change.

Unusual Perk: PAHO/WHO FCU's CEO hosts regular breakfast sessions with employees.

Innovations team members and their families participated in the Fourth of July parade celebration last year, where tram members distributed candy and branded swag to the crowds.

Innovations Financial Credit Union

1. Innovations Financial Credit Union

Panama City, Florida
Assets: $479 million
President and CEO: David Southall
No. of employees: 73

Interesting Fact: In 2023, Innovations held its inaugural Spark Tank process improvement competition — an employee-led think tank — that spanned across its six branches. The initiative led to the implementation of six major process improvements, saving more than $100,000 for Innovations.

Unusual Perk: Innovations offers sales incentives for employees and a paid time off schedule that rewards tenure.