Any farmer will tell you that anything locally-grown is always the best. The folks over at TwinStar Credit Union believe the same could be said about growing a small business. With two locations in Pierce County, one in Spanaway and one in Lakewood, small business owners currently have a new option in locally-owned financial services.
The origin of TwinStar Credit Union is a fascinating one. In the middle of the Great Depression, a math teacher from Olympia High School, along with 15 of his colleagues, formed Thurston County Teacher Credit Union in 1937. “[Their] purpose [was] providing access to ‘affordable’ financing for other teachers throughout the Thurston County community,” says Chris Heck, Director of Business Lending. “Since that time, we have grown our footprint to 20 branches and help more than 110,000 members in meeting their financial dreams.”
This continued success brought TwinStar to Pierce County. In 2010, TwinStar merged with Community Credit Union and opened branches in both Lakewood and Spanaway. Heck explains:
“We remain committed to the owners and representatives of businesses throughout the Pierce County area and strive to help each of them be successful – at whatever level they measure success. Whether it’s acquiring a vehicle to better distribute their product or service, purchasing equipment to improve operational efficiencies or expanding their location into a new office or warehouse space, TwinStar Credit Union takes the time to understand their business to help meet their current and future needs.”
This commitment to small business in Pierce County is headed-up by two individuals at TwinStar, Business Relationship Manager, Nick Rederick, and Business Development Officer, Jose Galvan. With nearly 40 years of combined financial services experience, Nick and Jose have been tasked with increasing the visibility of the TwinStar brand to small businesses within Pierce County as well as promoting the localized benefits of joining the TwinStar family.
“My job is to work with members and prospective members who need financing options to grow their business,” says Rederick. “This could be providing the loan to help them purchase a new location or the funds to do improvements to their existing location. It is also important to be visible in the Pierce County community because most people aren’t aware of the business services we provide at TwinStar.”
“My primary role is to connect with people, to build relationships and to be part of my community, to listen and provide solutions or resources as needed, to build TwinStar brand awareness, and to let the community know we are here to support their financial success with valuable consumer and business services,” adds Galvan.
With corporate headquarters located in nearby Lacey, communications and decision making are quick and efficient. This importance of local service is not lost on Rederick and Galvan. “Today more than ever most of us want to do business with someone we can trust and who knows who they are by name,” explains Galvan. Rederick agrees, “Having our corporate headquarters in Lacey is a huge advantage for us and our members. We have excellent teams that we work with to provide the best solutions possible for our members.”
The financial services sector is very competitive. Together, Rederick and Galvan hope to set TwinStar Credit Union apart from the competition through unparalleled customer service and a strict attention to detail. “There are a lot of knowledgeable bankers out there,” concedes Rederick. “But what I truly believe separates TwinStar from its competitors is our commitment to providing the best member experience possible. Making sure our members are well taken care of and always have a pleasant experience is part of the culture you see no matter what location of TwinStar you walk into.”
“We thrive on making sure we deliver excellent service each and every day,” adds Galvan. “We work together to accomplish a positive member experience and to deliver on our brand promise of ‘Realizing Financial Dreams Together.’”
So for any South Sound small business out there, looking for a locally-owned and operated option in financial services, be sure to reach out to Nick and Jose at TwinStar Credit Union at either the Lakewood or Spanaway locations.
TwinStar Credit Union Lakewood
9601 S Tacoma Way #103
Tacoma, WA 98499
800-258-3115
TwinStar Credit Union Spanaway
13505 Pacific Ave S.
Tacoma, WA 98445
800-258-3115
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