Financial Advisors Corner: WHAT IS YOUR RISK TOLERANCE?

Risk tolerance for many people has more to do with emotions than actual facts when it comes to their money. And it is true that there are many types of risk one may encounter, but all risk has one thing in common: the uncertainty of loss. The fact is that there is risk in everything. Risk can be minimized but it cannot be eliminated.

A good example of a place where risk has gradually taken people by surprise is through the safety and security of our regular savings and certificates of deposits. These rates have been at historical lows for the past five years with no clear indication that rates will rise anytime soon.

This is known as “Interest Rate Risk”. The reality for many people is that rates are so low that you are no longer able to keep up with daily expenses of living with your interest earnings and you are gradually depleting savings.

Knowing that there is risk in even the safest of investments, is your inner objective voice of reason beginning to ask whether it might be worthwhile to re-evaluate your tolerance for risk? Maybe it’s time for you to consider some of the income investments other retirees are using today to create retirement income.

Contact me, Rich Parker, to schedule an appointment at a Wauna CU branch near you to discuss your tolerance for risk. We may have an acceptable solution for you.

Rich Parker 2013Richard Parker,
LPL Financial Advisor
Wauna Investment Services
Cell: 1.877.728.4110
Office: 1.800.773.3236
Email: Richard.Parker@lpl.com
LPL Branch Office:
100 Columbia Ave
Astoria OR 97103

  • There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.
  • Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance Products offered through LPL Financial or it licensed affiliates. LPL Financial is not affiliated with Wauna Credit Union.
  • Not NCUA Insured
  • No Credit UnionGuarantee
  • May Lose Value

ANNUAL MEETING: Saturday, March 5th

Join us on March 5th at the Westport Community Church in Westport Oregon (across the street from our Wauna CU Learning Center), for our Annual Meeting!

Doors open at 2 pm, the meeting begins at 3 pm.

The Annual Meeting is open to Wauna CU members only, but no tickets are required. The meeting is free.

Fultano’s Pizza will be hosting our refreshments.

Come out and meet our Board Of Directors, find out the election results, and get to know more about the Credit Union Difference and our People Helping People philosophy.

 

Here are a few photos from the 2015 Annual Meeting in Warrenton.

AM2015-1
Our Board hears the results from the Supervisory Committee chair.
AM2015-2
Three of our Board members enjoy a laugh at the 2015 Annual Meeting.
AM2015-3
HR-VP Sharon and our COO Debi, get photo bombed by Branch Manger Jeff.
AM2015-4
Branch Manager Jeff, with our Internal Auditor Randy, at the 2015 Annual Meeting.

March 2016 Statement Insert: VISA Balance Transfer, Turbo Tax, Loan-Refi Special, & Call for Scholarship Applications

Statement 3-16 1-page

Move your high rate debt to a Wauna CU VISA Credit Card & Save Big!

  • Balance Transfer Special!
  • 1.99% APR for 12 Months!

*Special Financing Terms:  APR: Annual Percentage Rate. Members who move debt balances from elsewhere to a Wauna CU VISA credit card account may qualify for a special 1.99% APR for 12 months. After the 12-month period expires, the regular terms in the VISA credit card Membership & Account Agreement will apply. This special balance transfer service includes a one-time Balance Transfer Fee equal to 3% of the amount of the balance to be transferred or the minimum $20 balance transfer fee, whichever is the highest amount. This special balance transfer promotion ends at close of business April 30, 2016. Rates & financing are offered based on applicant’s credit worthiness and term of the loan. Membership with Wauna CU required to qualify for this special offer. **VISA Rewards accounts earn Rewards points for balance transfers (1 Reward Point per $1 of qualifying balance transfer during the special promotion).

TurboTax: Wauna CU Members get a discount on TurboTax!

This year, file your taxes the smarter way & get your biggest possible refund, guaranteed. TurboTax searches over 350 deductions & credits, so you won’t miss a thing.

Update: As of 2018 TurboTax is fully integrated into U-banking online and app banking. Simply login to U-banking and click on the TurboTax link)

Break Free! From High Rates & Unfun Loans!

  • Cash Rebate!
  • 60 Days No Payments!

Refinance nearly any loan: Auto – RV/Toy – Installment Loans
Offer ends April 30, 2016

Apply Today!

Applications for our Annual Scholarships are being accepted until April 15, 2016.
Download the application from our website or at any branch of WaunaCU.

Friday, Feb. 26: Wauna CU holds “Sgt. Goodding Day” fundraiser for fallen police officer

IMG_2111Wauna Credit Union staff is holding a fundraiser this week to raise money for the family of Sgt. Goodding, the Seaside police officer tragically killed in the line of duty.

On Friday, Feb. 26, Wauna CU staff will be wearing memorial bracelets for Sgt. Goodding, and we will be giving them out to anyone who donates to our fundraiser.

This is such a tragedy for our communities, we felt compelled to do something! This is an unofficial fundraiser, it’s just us doing what we can to help. Donations can also be made at: http://www.oregonfallenbadge.com/news/seaside-police-line-of-duty-death.html

100% of all donations we collect will go directly to the Goodding family. If you would like to participate in our staff’s fundraiser, stop in any of our seven branches. We will give out bracelets while supplies last, and special memorial cards supplied to us by the Seaside Police Department.

Our hearts grieve for the Goodding Family, and for his brothers and sisters on the police force.

Thank you!FullSizeRender

Meet our CEO Robert Blumberg

People always say Credit Unions are different than banks, but how and why is not so easily understood. One of the goals of this blog is to improve understanding about that difference, and part of doing that is getting to know the people who make up our credit union.

Robert BlumbergJust like a bank, we have a CEO, and while our CEO has a nice office and a company car, his office doubles as a conference room, and the car was purchased used. There’s no private jets or big stock options here, just a hard working person doing their best to guide staff and keep the Credit Union growing.

To find out more, The Wonderful World Of Wauna recently caught up with our own CEO, Robert Blumberg, to find out what drives him.

Though a majority of our staff at Wauna CU are lifelong Oregonians, some have come from farther away, and Robert may have come the farthest! He grew up in South Africa and came to the USA in 1980 after finishing college in Johannesburg.

“I have always been interested in numbers, and at school I excelled at Math, so in college I studied accounting.”

Robert immigrated to the United States to begin his career in the accounting department of a small bank in Los Angeles. He worked his way up to Controller, and then Chief Financial Officer (CFO) before moving on to larger banks, including time as the VP of Compliance at the First Bank of Beverly Hills.

Then, in 2000 Robert saw the “Credit Union light” and jumped ship, moving to MaPS Credit Union in Oregon as their Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Robert explains, “The motto of the credit union movement is people helping people. That speaks volumes to me – that we are not serving shareholders whose interests are to maximize their return on their investment.”

Robert came to Wauna Credit Union as CEO over eight years ago, during that tumultuous time when housing bubble had burst, and things in the financial world were in upheaval, but he held fast to the ideals of the Credit Union movement, and the reins of the Wauna Credit Union and managed to contine to grow Wauna Credit Union! We know have more than $197 million in assets and 22,000 members.

As a father of four, Robert tries to instill good money habits in his children. “I try to teach my children to be responsible with their money.” He adds, “My parents never built on their net worth and unfortunately spent all the money they earned.”

As far as his favorite Credit Union service, Robert says, perhaps not surprisingly, “Wauna’s debit card can be used all over the world and at the ATMs all over the world giving the best exchange rate. I can also access my checking account using the largest branch and ATM network at over 5,000 shared branches and 30,000 ATMs located in all 50 states. No bank in our nation can offer such a large network of branches and ATMs while at the same time offering our members a personal touch.”

In Service Training Day 2016

Super SluethsOn Feb. 15th, while banks and government offices were enjoying a three day weekend, the entire staff of Wauna Credit Union met at the newly renovated Clatskanie Cultural Center in downtown Clatskanie for what Credit Unions call an “In-Service Day” or “All-Team Day”.

It is a day to recognize various employees for achievements, introduce new staff members to the entire team, do team building exercises, and learn from guest speakers. It’s an extra-special day for Wauna Credit Union, as our branches are spread over more than 100 miles, so we don’t get to see many of our team members on a regular basis.

Game2This year, we learned about four types of personalities: Talkers, Doers, Supporters, and Controllers, and how each plays an important role in keeping our organization growing, and that each has a different way of thinking and reacting, and how to work with people of differing personality styles in a productive way.

Team TalkersWe had a guest speaker, our CEO Robert gave a great talk as well. There were activities, team building games, a nice lunch, and even ice cream sandwiches!

In the end, working together, spending time as a full group, seeing people we often only talk to on the phone or via email, and renewing our commitment to the Credit Union Difference and our “People Helping People” philosophy was way batter than sleeping in on a Monday!

Training VP
Our Training-VP Danea.
Super Slueths
Team Super Sleuth, St Helens and Scappoose.
Team Day Start
A word from our CEO Robert, and the backs of our cool t-shirts.
Game2
Team building game.
Game1
Team building games, and again our cool shirts.
Team Controllers
The Controllers of Wauna CU!
Team Supporters
The Supporters of Wauna CU!
Team Talkers
The Talkers of Wauna CU.
Team Doers
The Doers of Wauna CU.

Refinance Special – Move your loan to us and save!

snowboard rebate version 3Wauna Credit Union has expanded its annual Auto Loan rebate program to include all RVs, boats and toys, as well as installment loans with a balance over $5000!

This is a great opportunity to get a cash rebate, enjoy 60 days without payments, and it may even lower your interest rate or monthly payment.

Learn More: https://waunafcu.org/loans/current-loan-promotion.shtml

VOTING OPENS for our Board of Directors – Enter to win $50!

Go-Vote-500x500[1]Democracy In Action! Wauna Credit Union Board of Directors Elections: Vote Now!

Like a bank, Wauna Credit Union has a Board of Directors, but the difference is, our Board is made up of volunteers, who have the same $5 share of ownership in the Credit Union that you or I do. They are not serving for high pay and dividends, they are civic minded people elected by credit union members who vote annually.

Our Board of Directors help govern and lead the credit union to best serve its member-owners. A credit union is not for profit like a bank is, it is for improving the lives of its members with financial services, education, and assistance, and that is all. Any profit made is returned to Credit Union members via lower interest rates and fees, higher yields, and community support.

At Wauna Credit Union the time to vote is here – From February 1 until Midnight on March 1, 2016, all members in good standing & who are 18 or over, are encouraged to vote for up to 4 candidates.

All members are also eligible to run for our Board of Directors, each autumn we have a Call For Nominations to invite all interested members to apply for candidacy.

To be part of our democracy in action, please vote: https://waunafcu.org/about/annual-elections.shtml

FUNDRAISER: Trailblazers Tickets Raffle – Win Big & Help A Good Cause!

Great Community Fundraiser & A Lucky Chance for Basketball Fans!

Wauna Credit Union is raffling off 2 premium seats at a great Trailblazers game, and anyone who donates $15 to our current charity – The School Backpack Programs of Clatskanie and St. Helens – gets a ticket for the raffle!

The Backpack Program gives school children a backpack of healthy food to eat on the weekends, because sometimes school lunches are the only meal children receive daily. The backpack programs in St Helens and Clatskanie are just two regional versions of the larger “Feeding America” program:  http://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/we-feed-children/backpack-program/?_ga=1.24858163.828305436.1453252033

Why not make a donation to help our communities’ children AND get a chance to win a great view of the Portland Trailblazers in action? Read more below, and then stop in any branch to donate!

Anyone who donates $15 to the Backpack Program fundraiser will be given a raffle ticket to win those two amazing tickets! The drawing will be held at our Clatskanie branch on March 11, 2016.

Thank You!

fundraiser for kids, raffle for trailblazers tickets