LYNNWOOD—Harborstone Credit Union opened its first ever Lynnwood branch Wednesday, August 5, offering a new, community-focused financial institution for residents.
Wednesday’s ribbon cutting ceremony was celebrated with music by DJ Mighty Duck, delicious Mexican food provided by AzteCalli, a raffle, giveaways, and activities.
Last year Harborstone and Community 1st Credit Unions officially completed its merger, on October 1, combining Community 1st’s $192 million in assets with Harborstone’s larger network, expanding member access and branch operations across Western Washington.
“I think I speak on behalf of all of Harborstone when I say we are so excited to be joining forces with Community 1st Credit Union. I have long admired their long history and their legacy of being the first credit union in Washington State,” said Harborstone CEO Tim Hoefel.
Community 1st Credit Union was founded a little over 100 years ago to serve the Seattle Postal Service. Harborstone, on the other hand, was founded in 1955 to provide financial options to military members on the Lewis-McChord Air Force base.
“We have two credit unions, both formed to provide financial solutions to hardworking people who deserve great products and services that work just as hard as they do,” said Hoefel. “Our mission statement is ‘building dreams and changing lives for generations to come’ and now we get to do that to over 125,000 members across Western Washington. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be here in your community, to serve you and your financial needs, and we look forward to being here in Lynnwood for many years to come.”
Ann Anderson, Vice Chair of the Harborstone Board of Directors, shared that Harborstone, and its board, are the community’s voice and represent its needs
“We know you work very hard to support your families and your community and we’re here to walk that journey for you. We take pride in the fact that we help change people’s lives and that happens on the Board of Directors all the way down to the people you talk to behind the counters. We recognize that our part in changing your lives, making your lives easier, making generations that come after you more financially successful is a big part of your life and why we exist,” said Anderson.
Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce President Frank Percival welcomed the credit union with open arms Wednesday adding that he loves credit unions because they are “nonprofit banks that support the communities in which they serve.”
“Let’s give it up to an organization where you can bring your funds, you can bring your checking account, savings account, your loans, and they’re turning around and taking some of their profits and giving it back to the community,” said Percival. “We’re delighted you’re here; we welcome you to Lynnwood and behalf of myself, our board, my ambassadors, we want to welcome you with open arms, and we want to help you succeed.”
According to Harborstone Credit Union District Manager Seth Vaddhana, one of the things that makes the financial institution so special is their dedication to giving back to the communities they serve.
To demonstrate this commitment, Harborstone staff presented a check to the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County in the amount of $1,500.
Marci Volmer, President and CEO of Boys and Girls Club, said her nonprofit has a lot in common with Harborstone Credit Union, not including their similar brand colors of blue and white. First the credit union is celebrating 70 years of operation in Washington State where Boys and Girls Club Snohomish County celebrates 80 this year – representing a shared long history.
Second, the credit union’s mission statement of “building dreams and changing lives for generations to come,” is almost identical to the Boys and Girls Club’s mission of “great futures start here” and “building great futures.”
“That is what you’re doing and we so appreciate the work you’re doing in your community,” said Volmer. “That’s what we’re trying to do too. We’re really focused on life and workforce readiness right now and that means to us ensuring kids have the tools they need to be successful and with help from Harborstone we can do that.”
Harborstone District Manager Seth Vaddhana has a personal connection with the Boys and Girls Club, having grown up a member of the organization and was even named Youth of the Year before Liberty Franklin. He shared that the ability to “give back to an organization that has done so much for our kids and our community” meant wonders to him years later.
In addition to the generous donation to the Boys and Girls Club, Harborstone teaches financial literacy to tiny home villages, collects food and toiletries for local food banks, and awards its workers a certain amount of volunteerism hours so that they can invest in their community.
Managing Harborstone’s brand new Lynnwood branch is Rebecca Luce who brings with her eight years of branch management experience, having begun her career with Community 1st prior to the merger.
According to Luce, what sets Harborstone Credit Union apart from other credit unions and banks in the area is their commitment to going above and beyond in customer service. Their staff has even been trained by The Ritz-Carlton to ensure they are at the top of the game.
Just some of examples of this exemplary customer service is staff remembering credit union members’ names, their birthdays, their anniversaries, favorite restaurants, and then some…then taking that to the next level by gifting them a gift card on special occasions, or in one case, having a special mug made for a member after his wife passed away, to know the branch was holding him in their hearts.
“We’re not just about banking we’re about building character and connections,” said Luce.
Harborstone Lynnwood is located at 19419 Highway 99. For more information on the credit union, or to inquire about becoming a member, visit: https://www.harborstone.com/
Author: Kienan Briscoe
