Vantage West Credit Union stands out as one of Arizona’s best credit unions by putting members first and empowering communities across the state.

Discover how two employee awards honor the Arizona credit union’s commitment to a team-first culture while boosting employee engagement and workplace culture.

The center will offer free classes to educate those interested in starting a business, understanding municipal processes, and much more. Tucson helped the Tucson IDA purchase the building through leftover federal COVID-19 relief funds, with the rest of the money coming from loans acquired thanks to Vantage West Credit Union.

“Unlike banks, credit unions do not pay business income tax. That structure allows them to reinvest earnings directly back into their members and the programs designed to support them,” said Sandra Sagehorn-Elliott, president and CEO of Vantage West Credit Union in Tucson, Arizona. “It’s a closed-loop system. The money we make stays in our ecosystem. We pour it back into our members.”

For the third year, Arizona credit unions are joining forces for AZCU Week, with 18 organizations participating in community-focused events. Among them, Vantage West Credit Union.

The branch manager of Vantage West Credit Union in Tombstone, Arizona, shares what makes credit unions different from traditional banks, and how they work to support her rural community.