ECU Cuts Ribbon in Pine Tree August 17, 2021
VIDEO
LONGVIEW - Eastman Credit Union board members and management gathered on Thursday, August 5th to cut the ceremonial ribbon for their newest branch in Pine Tree.
“We are excited about the opportunities the new branch will provide our members and the community. Members will enjoy this great location. With 5-acres and 34,000 square feet, this facility will be a catalyst for growth. The additional space will allow us to expand our services by growing our departments and our staff,” said Kelly Price, ECU’s President and CEO.
The branch is located near the entrance of Pine Tree Junior High on West Loop 281. It features six drive-through lanes, two ATMs, teller windows, member service and consumer lending offices, safe deposit boxes, and more. The upper floors will offer staff training facilities, offices, and room for future growth.
ECU currently has almost 70 employees in their Gregg and Harrison County branches. Serving everyone who lives, works, worships, attends school, or owns a business in these areas, ECU places a strong focus on service that exceeds expectations. This exceptional service has resulted in ratings that report ECU members are among the happiest in the nation. One of ECU’s well-known extraordinary differences is their annual year-end bonus payout that has returned $147 million to members since 1998 as a reward for doing business with them.
“ECU’s Extraordinary Dividend is returned to borrowers and savers based on the amount of interest they’ve paid on loans and the dividends earned on deposits during the year. The more business members do with us, the greater their rewards. Returning value to members is what we do,” said Price.
This level of service has encouraged membership growth and led to local members requesting more branches. Soon after Pine Tree opens, ECU plans to open another branch in Hallsville which is currently under construction.
“Our goal is to give our members and our communities more than they expect to receive,” said Jill Alley, Regional Director for ECU’s Texas Operations.
The organization’s desire to serve in extraordinary ways extends into the communities where its members live, and that was evident during their announcements and recognitions at the ribbon cutting.
“A unique feature of this branch is a special storefront created for Pine Tree ISD. It was designed specifically for our Pine Tree neighbors. We eagerly entered an agreement with Pine Tree ISD to provide a space for a school merchandise store that is open to the public and will have independent hours, employees, and entrance,” said Price.
ECU also used this formal gathering to present the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Pines with a ceremonial $15,000 check for a previous donation. Chad Patterson, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Pines, was in attendance to accept the check.
As a strong community partner, ECU supports many local organizations and schools, including the Longview Arboretum, the WOW Museum, the Go-Giver Gala, Longview Fine Arts Museum, Longview Child Development Center, Longview Community Ministries, and many others.
About Eastman Credit Union
ECU is one of the largest credit unions in the country with $6.7 billion in assets. ECU is a not-for-profit financial service cooperative serving 270,000 members at 30 locations. Credit Union members have access to more than 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide through the Allpoint™ Network and a wide range of financial services, including free checking and free online banking. For additional information about ECU, visit www.ecu.org or call 800.999.2328.
