A Year to Remember

As the year comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on one of our strongest and most impactful years yet. 2017 brought record growth, new products and initiatives, and the opportunity to work alongside many organizations that are helping Arizona thrive.

But all of our accomplishments wouldn’t have happened without you, our members. Your continued support helps Vantage West grow so we can better serve you and the communities we serve. In short: we all get out what we put in.

So let’s get into it.

2017: By the Numbers

We reached $1.9 billion in assets this year, continuing to hold our place as the strongest credit union in Southern Arizona. This position allowed us to fund over 25,000 new auto loans and put 470 Arizona families in new homes—all through the hard work of more than 475 employees.

Bold Changes

As we’ve learned, you can only grow if you shake things up once in a while. That’s why we recently unveiled our new website design.

You’ll find all the great products and services you’ve come to know from Vantage West, along with an easier navigation system. We welcome any and all feedback from our members, as we are constantly striving to improve your experience.

We also rolled out our new Vantage West Connect Rewards Visa Signature credit card. Perhaps you’ve seen these ads around Tucson:

If you haven’t been rewarded yet, check out the excellent perks that this card has to offer. You can earn 5 times the reward points on purchases from your choice of category, which include Amazon, utility bills, travel, restaurants, and so much more.

If rewards aren’t your thing, we also released the Vantage West Connect Low Rate Visa. This card offers rates as low as 2.99% APR for 6 months and as low as 9.25% APR thereafter. What can beat rewards and low rates?

Wildcat Fever

Few things in 2017 were as exciting as watching our beloved University of Arizona Wildcats football team smash expectations this year. Vantage West was front and center, as an official sponsor and a loyal fan. And we gave a number of our members a chance to join the action.

On November 11, we were honored to host veterans and active members of the armed forces in our hospitality tent for the Military Veterans Appreciation Game. To make it that much sweeter, the Wildcats pulled off a 49 – 28 win against Oregon State.

And a few lucky fans won a VIP on-field experience, courtesy of University of Arizona football and Vantage West. And many more received autographed footballs from the coach.

Tucson’s Best, as Chosen By You

Vantage West made history by winning more Arizona Daily Star Readers’ Choice awards than anyone else since the contest began. This meant a lot because the awards are chosen by the public, including members like you. We couldn’t have achieved such an honor without your support.

Vantage West won the 2017 Arizona Daily Star Readers’ Choice Awards in the following categories:

• Best Bank/Credit Union
• Best Debit Card
• Best Credit Card
• Best Community Partner
• Best Community Presence
• Best Membership Organization
• Best Overall Company to Work For
• Most Innovative Workplace
• Best Benefits Program
• Best Boss (Bob Ramirez)

If that wasn’t enough, we also won Favorite in the following categories:

• Best Financial Planning Service
• Best Locally Owned Business
• Best Mortgage Lender
• Best Workplace Culture
• Best Adult Education/Enrichment Classes
• Best Locally Owned Service
• Best Training Program

In addition, we also were recognized with top honors by a number of organizations, such as Credit Union of the Year from the Mountain West Credit Union Association.

And let’s not forget our Louise Herring Philosophy-In-Action Member Service Award for our role with the Anti-Skimming Alliance. This award recognizes internal programs and services that benefit the members of a credit union.

Finally, for the second year in a row, we won the Best Diamond Award for Segmented Marketing from the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) for our efforts to market to the Hispanic community.

We were bowled over by the amount of support we received from our members and the credit union community. This only pushes us to continue to deliver award-winning service into the new year and beyond.

Transforming Communities

As anyone who’s familiar with us knows, we love nothing more than getting involved with our communities. This was an especially busy year, as we worked with more than 150 nonprofit organizations and participated in nearly 75 community events throughout Arizona. All of these events provided team members with a chance to make a big impact.

Our community efforts earned us a Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award. This award recognizes credit union efforts to strengthen local institutions and improve the lives of non-members through community outreach programs. To say this award is meaningful is an understatement. Being recognized for such a prestigious award shows us that we’re succeeding in our fundamental mission to empower our communities.

Onward and Upward

As much as we enjoyed looking back on such an eventful year, it’s time to move on to the next. 2018 is just around the corner and we already have a full schedule of community events, products, and promotions on the horizon. There are many opportunities ahead, and we’re ready to hit the ground running.

Let’s all spend next year focused on improving our communities and empowering those around us, so we can succeed together. Because when we thrive, our members and our communities thrive.

As we enter 2018, we see prosperity on the horizon, and we’re excited to embark on this journey with you.