The News

Spread the word

BY JIM HOLT, PRESIDENT/CEO

Matthew Kotch has become a walking advertisement for Mid American Credit Union. Whenever he can, he tells new hires at one of our more than 300 affiliate employee groups about the benefits of opening an account and establishing a membership with us. 

“I tell everybody,” he says. He became a member nearly two years ago and has been an advocate ever since. 

He tells others how easy it is to get his paycheck directly deposited into an account and that he can easily access it through free ATMs and shared branching nationwide. He tells them how we provided him with an account, when banks turned him down because he didn’t have an established credit history.

He tells them how he likes the fact that he knows there’s a local, caring person he can contact, rather than someone answering an 800 number, when he has financial needs. 

There are many more benefits, and as banks are imposing more and more fees, credit unions are becoming a more attractive option for people who want to keep more of their money and benefit themselves. One of the key differences between banks and credit unions is ownership. Banks are owned by a group of investors, looking for a profit. As not-for-profit cooperatives, credit unions are owned by their members, looking for a way to access financial services at the lowest cost possible. 

This past year, credit union membership jumped significantly – primarily when banks announced they would start charging fees for services such as a debit card. Following Bank of America’s announcement of such a charge in late September – which it later retracted – a survey of 5,000 credit unions showed

650,000 new members signed up, according to Credit Union National Association. According to Bloomberg News, the percentage of banks offering free checking has fallen from 76 percent two years ago to 45 percent, with the average monthly fee being $14. Free debit cards and checking accounts are the norm at credit unions, not the exception.

Increasing our membership benefits all credit union members. It makes it possible for us to continue to provide lower interest rates on loans, offer free or low cost services and for you to keep more of your own money to meet financial needs and wants.

We hope more members take up Kotch’s advocacy and help others find the benefits of credit union membership and ownership. If you have a chance, spread the word. It will help keep us – and, more importantly, you – financially strong.

Winner named in iPad2 giveaway

News that she won the iPad2 in a recent promotion to encourage mobile and text banking signups made Christina  Jenkins day.

“I’ve had such a great weekend, and this just made it even better,” said Jenkins who had celebrated her birthday and earning her master’s degree from Baker University.  Jenkins won the iPad 2 giveaway in a promotion that ended Dec. 16.

The new mobile and text banking options are also making it better for Jenkins and other members to get account information.

With Mid American’s mobile banking service, members can check balances, view account history, transfer funds and do national and local searches for the nearest ATM or branch.

With text banking, members can text the credit union for account balance and recent transaction history and even transfer funds.

To sign up for the new services, go to  http://www.co-opmobile.org.

U.S. savings bonds going paperless

Starting Jan. 1, 2012, U.S. savings bonds will no longer be sold through financial institutions or by mail. Instead, all purchases of Series EE and I Savings Bonds will be done online through www.treasurydirect.gov.

Ending paper savings bonds sales is expected to save taxpayers an estimated $70 million over the next five years. Another advantage with electronic bonds is that they can’t be lost or misplaced.

Financial institutions will continue to redeem paper bonds. Existing paper bonds will earn interest for 30 years from the issue date or until redeemed.

You can convert your paper savings bond to electronic savings bonds at no charge. No earned interest will be lost and the bonds will keep their original issue dates and current interest rate terms.

To use the online services of TreasuryDirect, you will need to have an account at a financial institution to receive direct deposit payments and to use as a payment source for purchases.

An email address is necessary to receive important messages about your TreasuryDirect account.

Winners named in grill giveaway

Congratulations to Mitch Crouch of Wichita and Cecil Judie of Arkansas City, who won Yoder Smokers pellet smoker grills in Mid America’s latest anniversary giveaway.

Crouch won the larger YS640 while Judie won the YS480.

To celebrate Mid America’s 75th anniversary and in recognition of the state’s 150^th year of statehood, Mid American is giving away Kansas-made products. Every month, Kansas Originals are given away at all branches. Earlier this year, Gary Honomichl won a 42-inch Hustler Sport mower that was part of the special anniversary promotions.

One of the contest winners, Cecil Judie of Arkansas City, is pictured with Mid American branch manager Mary Hamilton.

Ensure short codes are enabled for text banking

If you’re planning to use Mid American’s new text banking services, make sure that your cell phone has been enabled for short code texting.

Short codes are a special set of numbers used by various industries when providing a value-added, automated service such as text banking. Mid American’s unique short code is 282228. This is the number to which a member sends a text to receive account information.

Usually short codes are enabled, but if you are having difficulties signing up for text banking, short codes may be blocked on your phone. Contact your carrier to have it unblocked.

With Mid American’s new mobile banking, you can check balances, view account history, transfer funds and do national and local searches for the nearest ATM or branch. With the new text banking, you can text us for your account balance and recent transaction history and even transfer funds.

To sign up for the new services, go to  http://www.co-opmobile.org.

Mobile and text banking services are free from Mid American. Depending on your cell phone carrier’s data plan, you may incur a data services charge from your cell phone provider.

A couple of other tips on getting set up:

·         When you are prompted to enter user ID and password, click on New User to begin the process.

·         Make sure you enter your personal identification as it is listed on your account.

With the addition of the new services, Mid American keeps you connected through practically any communication device: online through Desktop Banking, with your cell or mobile device through mobile and text banking, and through an automated 24-hour  telephone service, Mid American’s Telephone Teller or MATT, by calling 722-3921 and pressing  3 to be connected to the service.

Mobile, text banking available

Now you can bank on-the-go with Mid American’s new mobile and text banking services, available on your phone or mobile device.

With mobile banking, you can check balances, view account history, transfer funds and do national and local searches for the nearest ATM or branch. With text banking, you can text us for your account balance and recent transaction history and even transfer funds.

To sign up for the new services, go to  http://www.co-opmobile.org.

Mobile and text banking services are free from Mid American. Depending on your cell phone carrier’s data plan, you may incur a data services charge from your cell phone provider.

A couple of tips on getting set up:

·         When you are prompted to enter user ID and password, click on New User to begin the process.

·         Make sure you enter your personal identification as it is listed on your account.

With the addition of the new services, Mid American keeps you connected through practically any communication device: online through Desktop Banking, with your cell or mobile device through mobile and text banking, and through an automated 24-hour  telephone service, Mid American’s Telephone Teller or MATT, by calling 722-3921 and pressing  3 to be connected to the service.

New coffee shop to open in new Mid American branch

A new coffee shop will open within Mid American Credit Union’s new facility in northeast Wichita building at 29th Street and Webb Road when the branch opens in fall 2012.

Mid American’s new 4,500-square-foot branch, which will be located just east of the Courtyard Marriott, near the K-96 and Webb interchange, includes space for a wireless café/coffee shop, along with a community meeting room and is based on a new retail-based concept being used at financial institutions elsewhere.

Savories Tasty Shop & Coffee House will occupy about 925 square feet in the new facility. The owner of Savories is Shawn Blattner, who is a co-owner of another Wichita restaurant, Dolci & Joes. Savories, which is projected to be open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, will serve gourmet coffees, along with homemade gourmet cheesecakes and ice cream, according to Blattner. There will be  a drive-through lane for the cafe, too.

Mid American’s branch is being designed by Kraybill Architect, the same firm that designed Mid American’s main branch at 8404 W. Kellogg (at Kellogg and Tyler). Cessna Employees and Catholic Family Federal credit unions, and possibly one or two Wichita-area credit unions, will partner with Mid American at the new facility.

            “We’re really excited to bring a retail-based concept in financial facilities in Wichita and we’re particularly pleased to feature a locally owned small business in this venture,” said Jim Holt, president and CEO of Mid American Credit Union. A large number of Mid American’s members are employees of the more than 300 businesses that have partnered with the credit union to offer financial services to their employees. The branch will feature free-standing teller pods that work like a concierge center for members.

Branching Out - 28 Wichita Area Branches & Service Centers Now Available

By Jim Holt, president/CEO

Mid American Credit Union members gained access to more than 25 shared branches just within the local Wichita area, when Meritrust Credit Union recently joined the nationwide shared branching network, Credit Union Service Centers.

Mid American recognized the value of the Credit Union Service Centers network and led credit unions from this area to join several years ago.

This unique network has gained in popularity, with more than 4,300 credit unions participating in the U.S. alone.

With this concept, you can maintain your membership and accounts in your home credit union, and still have in-person access at any participating credit union where you may happen to be. This is particularly convenient for those who frequently travel or need to relocate.

It’s easy to find these locations: Look for the distinctive CU Service Centers swirl , displayed at participating credit unions, use the online locator service, or use your portable device to navigate to the closest option. Locator applications are available for some smartphones.

This concept of cooperation among financial institutions is unique to credit unions. You will not find this among banks or other financial institutions.

Because credit unions are a nonprofit cooperative, we realize that we can better serve our member-owners through cooperation.

At Mid American, we have had success cooperating with other local credit unions in other ways. For example, we are working with Cessna Employees and Catholic Family Federal credit unions, and possibly one or two others to bring our brand of service to the northeast. We broke ground on that facility in May.

We’re also in the process of finalizing another partnership for that facility – to offer an Internet café run by a new local business, Savories Tasty Shop & Coffee House. The retail-based concept will be another pioneering milestone for Mid American – we’ll be on the forefront of offering this type of facility in the Wichita area, just as we were on the forefront of bringing the CU Service Center network to town.

Another example of convenient cooperation is our participation the Co-op Network, which allows you to use more than 28,000 ATMs nationwide with no surcharges. You can find those locations online, as well, by clicking on the ATMs link.

We want to serve you in ways that are convenient to you in as many locations as possible. Let me know if there is some way we can be more available to you.

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