Commitment to Members

UniWyo Federal Credit Union’s sole purpose is to serve our members. As a member-owned, not for profit financial cooperative, UniWyo’s commitment is to our members. We promise to offer honest, fair deals to every member, every time. We promise to treat every member with respect and dignity. We promise to strive to be a trusted financial advisor that our members can count on to assist them with achieving their financial dreams. We will uphold our fundamental responsibility to actively serve people within our field of membership, and as appropriate, the communities in which they live. We will deliver a range of low cost products and services to the diverse economic and social make-up of our members and potential members. We will look for better ways to reach out to the unserved or underserved of our member and potential member base. We will continually demonstrate the value of membership in UniWyo Federal Credit Union. We expect to provide Hometown Values, Worldwide Access, and Lifelong Relationships.

We will monitor and communicate our service to members in a meaningful way so that members, potential members, legislators, regulators, and the community at large will understand and appreciate the unique role that member-owned financial cooperatives play in their lives.

Throughout UniWyo Federal Credit Union's strategic plan, we will put forth every effort to enable our members to become financially self-sufficient and successful. We will place high importance on consumer education and the teaching of financial thrift.

This Statement of Commitment to Members is consistent with our credit union principles of "Not For Profit, Not For Charity, But For Service" and our philosophy of "People Helping People". This statement represents good business practices that ensure the financial strength of our credit union on behalf of our members.

Service to Members

UniWyo Federal Credit Union strives to offer services designed to improve the economic and social well being of members and return financial value to our members and potential members.

Current Services that Help Improve the Economic and Social Well Being of Members:

UniSavers Youth Savings Club—Open to members up to 18 years of age, this program offers educational materials and prizes to promote good money management.
Golden Opportunity Club—Targets adults age 50 and better with a variety of free services
including free checks for share draft accounts, free money orders, free notary service, and free medallion Signature Guarantee service.
Grade School Education—Through Junior Achievement UniWyo provides an employee to serve as teacher to implement part of the Junior Achievement program.
Credit Based Pricing—Began offering this program in 1996. This enables the credit union to offer loans to those who previously would have been denied under our guidelines.
Free On-Line Banking—UniWyo offers members free Internet access to their accounts.
Free E-Statements—UniWyo offers members free electronic account statements.
Free Check Imaging—UniWyo offers members free access to images of cancelled checks.

Free Bill Pay—UniWyo offers members free access to electronic bill payment.
Free Checking Accounts—UniWyo offers free share draft (checking) accounts to all members, regardless of income level or account balance.

Free Access to ATM machines—UniWyo offers a Visa Check card with immediate posting to the associated checking account and without an annual fee. UniWyo maintains 11 ATM machines in the Laramie area, 5 of which offer 24-hour access and two of which are drive up ATM’s. Members are not charged a fee for use of the ATM.
The facility at 1610 Reynolds includes a children’s area with a television.
UniWyo Trust and Financial Services—This program offers trust and investment services to members. Included are trust services, mutual funds, annuities, stocks, bonds, and insurance. A Trust Liaison Officer and a Registered Representative work out of UniWyo to serve the Laramie area.
Affordable Accounts—For as little as $5.00 a member can open a share account. UniWyo does not charge fees regardless of account balance.

Low Minimum Balance Share Certificates—Share certificates are available in amounts as low as $250.00.
Internet Café at 1610 Reynolds main office includes free coffee and computers for use by members to research web based information, access their accounts, and for use by staff to demonstrate on line banking and other web based services.

Courtesy Pay program provided to all qualifying members. This program pays insufficient funds checks and ACH debits up to predetermined limits. This saves the members the cost and inconvenience of picking up the NSF check from the merchant.
Money market accounts for members with larger balances—a competitive rate is offered with a minimum balance of $2500.

UniWyo offers “Skip-a-Pay” two times per year—this gives members the opportunity to skip a monthly loan payment.

Shared Branching—UniWyo offers access to shared branching through the Credit Union Service Network with free transactions for the members.
UniWyo offers the “PAL” or Payday Alternative Loan. This loan is designed to save members money and eliminate the need for Payday lenders.

UniWyo offers WCDA mortgages for first time home buyers.
UniWyo maintains a full service branch on the campus of the University of Wyoming.

UniWyo offers student loans and special accounts geared toward students.

New Services planned for the coming year:

Visa gift cards.
Identity theft protection.

Health Savings Accounts.

Member Education

UniWyo Federal Credit Union is committed to member education and social responsibility, including providing financial education to members and potential members to enhance their lives as well as promote credit union uniqueness, philosophy, and values.

Web Site Access—UniWyo’s web site includes links to education sites including the National Credit Union Administration, Members Financial Services, Credit Union National Association, and e-Fraud Prevention.

Vehicle Value Guides--New and used vehicle value guides are available in writing in the lobby and over the Internet via a link from our web site.
UniGram--Financial educational material is included in each quarterly issue of the newsletter.

High School and Junior High Seminars—Occasionally UniWyo staff are invited to Laramie High School and/or Laramie Junior High to conduct sessions related to financial education. UniWyo sponsors the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) program at Laramie High School, Laramie Junior High, UW Lab School, and at Whiting Alternative High School.
Employee Orientation—UniWyo provides a comprehensive employee orientation that emphasizes the uniqueness of credit unions.

Credit Counseling—The collection officer and selected loan officers offer individual credit counseling to members.

New Programs planned for the coming year:

Visit Select Employer groups to present an overview of the financial services available at UniWyo.

Involvement/Governance

UniWyo will endeavor to preserve the credit union democratic principles, including demographic representation and volunteer participation in the organization.

Board Elections—Board members are voted in by ballot. For each election members will have the opportunity to vote in person or by absentee ballot. Voting tables will be staffed to insure maximum voter participation.

Board Nominations—Each year UniWyo has at least 2 seats available for election. Local newspaper ads, statement newsletters, and flyers at major sponsor companies are all used to encourage nominations.
Board Vacancies—When the situation arises where a board member resigns during his/her term, the board will review the past election to determine who received the most votes of those candidates not elected. That person will be considered for the vacancy. This way the member’s collective voice helps to determine the replacement.

No new programs are planned for the coming year.

Diversity

UniWyo Federal Credit Union recognizes the value of demographic diversity in staff as well as in volunteers, and will strive to bring people of diverse backgrounds and experiences into leadership and other roles at the credit union.

Member Market Segmentation—UniWyo uses the Executive Membership View from CUNA Mutual Group to help determine the demographic makeup of its members so that products and services may be specifically targeted to their needs.

Equal Employment Opportunity—UniWyo actively seeks to fill vacancies by hiring qualified candidates without regard to race, creed, religion, age, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status, seeking to represent the community in which we operate.

No new programs are planned for the coming year.

Commitment to the Credit Union Movement and other Cooperative Activities

UniWyo Federal Credit Union will work to build and strengthen our unique credit union movement by providing financial and in-kind resources to others within the credit union community, and by actively advocating the credit union difference at all levels of government and in other appropriate public forums. In addition, UniWyo will participate in local, state and national cooperative activities as appropriate, and will strive to build and strengthen relationships with other sectors of the national cooperative movement.

Political Activity—UniWyo’s senior management meets with local and state elected officials to provide the credit union viewpoint on local, state, and national issues. UniWyo has appointed a Legislative Liaison to work with league officials on public issues.

Leadership Roles—UniWyo’s senior staff serves on boards and committees of credit union organizations such as the Credit Union Association of Wyoming Human Resources Task Force and the Credit Union Association of Wyoming Scholarship committee.
Filene Research Institute—UniWyo provides monetary support each year to this worthwhile credit union organization.

Continuing Education for Staff—UniWyo helps pay for post-high school education so that employees may further their careers in the credit union movement.
Credit Union specific training for Staff—training using the Credit Union Executive Society (CUES) education program is required of all employees on a quarterly basis.

Credit Union specific Training for Management—at least one member of management will attend Western CUNA Management School.
UniWyo’s President serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Credit Union Association of Wyoming.

UniWyo makes the meeting room available for use in state wide credit union training.

No new items are planned for the coming year.

Public Service / Corporate Citizenship

Through direct financial support or other in-kind contributions to worthwhile local organizations, and by participating in public service activities, UniWyo Federal Credit Union strives to be an active partner in our community. We recognize that practicing good Corporate Citizenship supports the Credit Union Philosophy of “People Helping People”.

United Way Campaign—A “Pacesetter” contributor to the Albany County United Way.
University of Wyoming Athletics—The lead sponsor for UW Olympic Sports and member of the Cowboy Joe Club. As a major donor in the state-matched campaign to raise $10,000,000 pledged $1,000,000 to be paid over 4 years ($750,000 of which is dedicated to athletics), 100% matched by State of Wyoming funds.

University of Wyoming Staff Recognition—Sponsor the Employee of the Quarter and Employee of the Year Awards.
American Cancer Society Relay for Life—Corporate Sponsor. UniWyo provides meeting space for Relay committee and team captain meetings during the six months leading up to the Relay for Life event in June. Several members of management serve as committee chairs. UniWyo employees served as the local event chairpersons for both 2007 and 2008.

Local Schools—Contribute to Project Graduation, Honors Banquet, Fire Pals Safety Program, Newspapers for Kids, LHS Girls Basketball, and LHS Boys Basketball.
Ivinson Memorial Hospital—Contributor to the construction of the Cancer Center and the annual La Grande Fleur fundraiser.

Ivinson Memorial Hospital Foundation—One UniWyo employee serves on this foundation Board of Directors.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters—Corporate lane sponsor for annual Bowl for Kids Sake.

Laramie Economic Development Corporation—pledged $40,000 to be paid over 5 years for the Partners in Progress Campaign. Goal is 800 new jobs and $60 million in new capital investment.
Laramie Kiwanis—UniWyo employees participate in the activities of this local public service organization.

Habitat for Humanity—UniWyo grants time off from work, with pay, so that employees can contribute to the construction of Habitat Houses.
Laramie Plains Civic Center—One UniWyo employee serves on the Board of Directors of this local non-profit agency.

Ark Regional Services—One UniWyo employee serves on the Board of Directors of this local non-profit agency.
Downtown Clinic—One UniWyo employee serves on the Board of Directors of this local United Way agency.

Laramie Area Chamber of Commerce—UniWyo has been a chamber member for over 18 years.
Leadership Laramie—UniWyo has four graduates of this program and will continue to enroll employees with the intention that they be future leaders in Laramie.

Green Belt Clean Up—UniWyo has adopted a section of the greenbelt. UniWyo staff clean the area several times per year.
Salvation Army—UniWyo has participated in the "Adopt a Family" program for several years and, in addition, has made a monetary contribution each year.

Scholarship programs—Scholarship programs have been established for UniWyo members and dependents at Wyo Tech and Laramie County Community College Albany County campus.
UniWyo Scholarships at the University of Wyoming—a pledge of $250,000 to be paid over 4 years was made to establish two scholarship programs at UW. The money will be matched 100% by the State of Wyoming to create a fund of $500,000 from which the UniWyo FCU Distinction Scholarship and the UniWyo FCU Study-Abroad Scholarship will be drawn annually.

UniWyo sets aside $.32 per member to be used to fund donations to worthy causes each calendar year. The total amount for 2008 is $4,450. One half of this amount is used to fund the contribution to the United Way. The remainder ($2225) is donated to various groups throughout the year at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

New programs Planned for the coming year: None.