President & CEO, Jennifer Kutcher’s Annual Message to WECU’s Membership.
Transcript:
Hello, WECU members! As many of you know, my name is Jennifer Kutcher, and I am honored to serve as WECU’s President and CEO. This holiday season, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to you, our valued members. At WECU, we know that your membership is more than just banking. It’s an investment in a cooperative designed to work for you and make a meaningful difference in the lives of our members and in the communities we serve. This year, your commitment to our credit union has allowed us to deliver meaningful value directly to you in the form of low fees, competitive rates, exceptional member experience, member rewards and other local discounts.
In addition to this, your choice to bank with WECU has a profound impact beyond our walls, allowing us to give back generously to our community. In fact, we are proud to announce a donation of $50,000 to local food banks, ensuring families across our region have access to meals during these colder months. One of the local food banks that will benefit from these funds is the Tri-County Parish Food Bank of Skagit County, where our team volunteered in November. To tell us more about the need and impact of donations like this, here’s Lilia Ortiz, the Director at the Tri-County Parish Food Bank.” So, thank you for your membership which makes this donation possible. Together, we’re making a difference.
And the best part? This is just one of the many ways we have made a meaningful difference in 2024. Each year, WECU gives back to the community in a number of ways. This year we’re celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of our employee-driven United Way campaign. Last year alone, we raised over $100,000 – supporting essential programs in our area. WECU employees also volunteer throughout the year. And we give through our four core programs – WECU scholarships, Community Builder Grants, Servant Leadership Grants and the Education First Program. This November, we announced that, through a partnership with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, we will provide a combined $312,500 over the next two years to our 2024 Education First recipients – BAAY, Skagit Preschool Resource Center, EDASC Startup School, and Whatcom Literacy Council.
And, of course, you’ll find WECU out in the community supporting events that bring us together. From Stoney Ridge Farm’s Fall Festival, in which more than 2,800 WECU members received free admission, to the Raspberry Festival in Lynden, Elizabeth Park Concert Series in Bellingham, Ferndale’s Old Fashioned Christmas, the Mount Vernon Christmas Parade, and so much more. These events are part of what makes our communities special, and we’re proud to help make them possible.”
As we reflect on 2024 and look ahead to 2025, we remain grateful for you – for your membership, your trust in WECU, and your desire to be part of something bigger than yourself…to be part of a financial cooperative dedicated to serving others and improving lives.
Together, we’re building a brighter future for our credit union and our community. And it’s truly amazing what we can accomplish together!
From all of us at WECU, we wish you a joyful and fulfilling holiday season.
