wauna credit union – Page 4 – The Wonderful World Of Wauna

RESOURCE PAGE: Changes for Debit Card Users – The EMV Chips are coming!

Our Debit Card users will find that when their current Wauna Credit Union Debit Card expires, its shiny new replacement will have an EMV chip on it. This will offer vastly better security for purchases made in stores and restaurants, all “Card Present” transactions. All Debit Cards issued in May 2016 and beyond will include the EMV Chip-Secured Card, and a magnetic strip too.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION & LINKS

DEBIT CARDS: The EMV Debit Card upgrade is complete.
Service Interruption: April 18th,we will upgrade our service to accommodate EMV technology Debit Cards.
There will be a brief interruption in service on April 18th for ALL Debit & ATM Card users. *If you experience any longer lasting issues with your Debit Card or PIN number, please call 800-773-3236 and follow the prompts.
EMV Chip cards will be sent to members as existing Debit Cards expire, starting with cards expiring in May 2016.
Debit Card Information Sheet (download)
Did you get the email on 4-13-16 about the Debit & ATM conversion?
Starting on April 18th, if your card is lost or stolen you will need to use the following phone numbers for assistance:

Important EMV Debit Card Phone Numbers:
Activate/Set PIN:	800-992-3808
Fraud Detection Center/In USA:	877-253-8962
Fraud Detection Center/Outside USA:	973-682-2652
Lost/Stolen Card/In USA:	800-773-3236
Lost/Stolen Card/Outside USA:	800-773-3236

Still have questions? Contact us by phone or email.

BIG NEWS! Clatskanie Branch Remodel (Starts April 8 thru Mid-June 2016)

Debi Smiley COO, Branch Manager Gina Dines, and Member Service Manager Heidi Peterson are super excited about the new branch. Now the question is which will arrive first, the new Clatskanie Branch unveil or Heidi's baby? — Debi Smiley COO, Branch Manager Gina Dines, and Member Service Manager Heidi Peterson are super excited about the new branch. Now the question is, which will arrive first, the new Clatskanie Branch unveil or Heidi’s baby?

Big News! Wauna Credit Union is absolutely delighted to begin a major remodel of our Clatskanie branch, starting on Friday, April 8th! Regular visitors already know that furnishings are getting sparse inside the branch as we prepare for the construction crew to come in.

The Clatskanie branch will be closed on Friday, April 8th to get things rolling, it will reopen on Monday, April 11th utilizing only half the building, and then in a few weeks will switch over to using the other half. The Clatskanie branch will remain open during construction, which is expected to be finished in Mid-June.

Our ATM and Night Drop will be available, but our Drive Up window will be closed during this time. We apologize for this inconvenience and ask that you please pardon our dust as we create a brand new branch experience for our members, and more (desperately needed) space upstairs for our support staff!

Check back for updates & info direct from the remodel!

Clatskanie Branch Remodel Important Dates:

Starts April 8th (Branch will be closed for this one day).
April 11th, branch reopens, construction is ongoing.
Drive up window will be closed from April 8 until Mid June.
ATM & Night Drop will be open.

remodel Rendering 3 Remodel Rendering 2

It’s Credit Union Youth Month!!! Coloring Contests & More!

Hey Kids! April is Credit Union Youth Month!

It began many years ago, as merely Credit Union Youth Day, then it grew into Credit Union Youth Week, and last year the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) decided Credit Union Youth deserved an entire month!

WOO HOO! Credit Union Youth Month!!!

All month check this blog and your favorite social media outlet for savings tips & info for a better financial education – from allowance plans, and money making ideas for kids, to info about college funds.

Coloring Contest:

Our younger members are welcome to get in on the coloring contest – prizes will be awarded! Pick your picture, print it off at home, or pick one up at any branch!

eagle-coloring-page — Eagle Coloring Page

Know a kid who needs an account?

All new Jump Start Club members (Ages 0-17) who joined Wauna CU during the month of April will be entered to win $$$, and we’ll deposit it right in your shiny new account! Plus, Jump Start Club accounts earn a higher rate of interest on your first $500 balance than any other saving account, AND all Jump Start Club members get a cool piggy bank when they open their account!

Jump Start Club – Account Information: https://waunafcu.org/accounts/youth.shtml

College Scholarship Info:

High School Seniors – April 15th is the deadline for our annual Scholarships!

Apply Today: https://waunafcu.org/annual-scholarship.shtml

College Savings Plans:

Wauna Credit Union can start a Coverdell Education Savings Account or Coverdell ESA, also known as a 529 College Savings IRA, and our knowledgeable staff can help you easily set it up. College saving is less daunting if you start early.

Learn More: https://waunafcu.org/accounts/youth.shtml

INTERVIEW: Meet our new Internal Auditor, Rachel Kamaunu!

A new day is breaking on the hills along the mighty Columbia River! Last week, we said goodbye to Randy Brackman, our Internal Auditor and a 28 year Wauna Credit Union veteran. Today, we say hello to a new era, as we welcome Rachel Kamaunu as our new Internal Auditor!

While Rachel is our new Internal Auditor, she is a seasoned employee of Wauna Credit Union. She was hired into the Accounting Department as an Accounting Assistant back in April of 2012. Rachel was promoted to Senior Accountant on January 1, 2015, and has been under Internal Auditor Randy Brackman’s wing for some months now preparing for this day.

The Wonderful World Of Wauna caught up with Rachel to find out how she was feeling about this new chapter in her WaunaCU career:

Why did you apply to be Internal Auditor?

Rachel: During all my years in the banking industry, I always envied the Internal Auditor. However, I found over the years, prior to my employment with Wauna, that an Internal Audit position in a financial institution is hard to come by. I was lucky enough to work as an auditor right out of college for a short time, before starting my family. Even though Accounting was my focus, Auditing has always been my passion. I feel fortunate to have been selected for this position.

It certainly takes a special kind of person to be passionate about Auditing! Aside from that obvious qualification, what strengths do you bring to this position?

Rachel: I have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting as well as over six years in prior banking experience. I managed a small business for seven years before and while attending college, as well as over 6 years in the US Army Reserve, serving as an officer. My prior experience as well as education bring great strengths to this position. I am also a strong independent individual with excellent attention to detail and organization skills.

How do you hope to grow the position?

Rachel: First things first, I hope to grow my knowledge and resources first. The department was developed perfectly by my predecessor, Randy. I plan to follow in his footsteps of producing thorough, accurate and timely audits.

What is the most unexpected thing you have learned during training under Randy?

Rachel: My time with Randy has been a rewarding experience. I quite honestly didn’t know what to expect, so it was all unexpected! He has done nothing but make sure I am well taken care of, giving me the reigns and the desire to jump right in and make my mark on this department. All the while, he has gracefully stood by, offering his wisdom, sharing his stories and has been encouraging me the whole way.

What is your favorite thing about working at Wauna Credit Union?

Rachel: My favorite thing about working for Wauna, is being part of the Wauna Family. Wauna Credit Union cares about every employee here, and goes through great lengths to set a workplace that is friendly, adaptable and family oriented.

Randy explained last week that the Internal Auditor deals with the CEO and the Supervisory Committee, there’s been a lot of change to the Supervisory Committee this year, (including the retirement of Larry Cole, longtime Supervisory Committee Chair). How do you feel about those changes, and what do you hope so many new faces bring to the committee?

Rachel: I feel the changes come at the perfect time. A partially new committee and a new Internal Auditor, all with various backgrounds and experience, will surely bring new ideas to the table. I welcome the discussions and challenges it brings.

Please tell us a little about your past, where you grew up, your hobbies, whatever you would like to share.

Rachel: I was born and raised in the Bay Area, California. I moved to Las Vegas when I was 19 years old and lived there for 13 years. I moved to Longview in 2007 to be near my sister. I have two children, a nine-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy. I am getting married next month (April 7^th), and in addition to my spouse, I will be blessed with four step-children and two step-grandchildren. This year has proven to be an exciting one, with many new adventures. In my spare time, I love to travel. I also love the sun and spend every moment in it when I can. I am adventurous by nature, so challenges are exciting to me. I love my family and creating memories with and for them.

Thank you Rachel, we’ll look forward to catching up with you in the future and seeing the changes you initiate as our new Internal Auditor! Congratulations!

INTERVIEW: Our Internal Auditor Randy Brackman Retires after 28 Years!

This week, Wauna Credit Union will experience a major change. It’s not a new branch, or the latest technology, on Friday, March 25^th our Internal Auditor Randy Brackman will “punch out” for the very last time!

After 28 years (yes, TWENTY EIGHT years!) at Wauna Credit Union, Randy will hand the reigns over to new Internal Auditor Rachel Kamaunu, and head out into the sunset for a life of leisure spent with family, and traveling – including perhaps a trip to England!

The Wonderful World Of Wauna caught up with both Randy and Rachel to find out more about both of them, the passing of the torch, and what exactly an Internal Auditor does. Today, we are talking to Randy, and on Monday, we’ll post our interview with Rachel.

So, what exactly does an internal auditor do?

Randy: The Internal Auditor is unique in that he or she has two different direct supervisors to report to; Robert Blumberg, CEO/President of the Credit Union and the Supervisory Committee Chair, which oversees the members of the Supervisory Committee. The role of the Internal Auditor is to be the “eyes and ears” of both supervisors to ensure the internal controls of the Credit Union are up-to-date and being followed by the staff. This is accomplished by conducting a series of audit exams annually to test the internal controls in place. Finally the Internal Auditor acts as the liaison for the Credit Union during the NCUA annual examination and the Outside Auditing Firms annual audit.

What was Wauna Credit Union like back in 1988?

Randy: There were four branches in operation (Clatskanie, Astoria, Warrenton and Westport). I was hired to develop a Collection Department and work on lowering a delinquency ratio of over 4 percent. Technology was more a blimp in the future. The Collection Department (me) received the first desktop computer and printer. The rest of the branches had large terminals at each station, connected to each other by cable. If a terminal went down the rest of the line also stopped working. Pulling reports were cumbersome and took hours to complete. Month-end reports generally meant the IT Department would spend the entire weekend in the Clatskanie branch, and resting on cots, while waiting on the reports to be completed.

You’ve seen some big changes then?

Randy: If I had to list all that Wauna Credit Union done and accomplished over the past 28 years it would take several pages. The Credit Union has done a phenomenal job of working on the growth of the membership base. In doing so, the asset size has blossomed to nearly $200 million in assets, and there appears to be no decline in sight. Technology became extremely valuable as a tool to keep the Credit Union on pace with or ahead of the other credit unions in our field of membership.

How have you changed over the years??

Randy: I’m sure I have gone through changes over the past 28 years. When I started, delegation was not in my vocabulary. I have learned to delegate projects more frequently and not lose sleep over each decision. I find that I listen more before making a decision at work. My work ethic has never changed. I give a 110 percent to the Credit Union and have the utmost respect for the management supervisors I have reported to during the years.

How does it feel to hand the reins of this position over after so many years?

Randy: I am at peace with my decision to retire. I have always been a firm believer if I did the work assigned to me to the best of my ability, with the good of the Credit Union fully in the forefront, then I am happy and I have gained the respect of management. It was always my desire to go out on my terms and that is why I requested my retirement date to be the same month and day that I was hired. . . March 28.

What are you planning to do with your new found freedom? World travels? Gentleman of leisure?

Randy: I’m sure there will be a “honey-do” list created for me before I know it. I will be retained by the Credit Union to do consulting work on an as needed basis. Much of my time will be spent with the family. Traveling will probably include trips to Southern Oregon; Washington DC, and possibly England.

Good Luck Randy! We are all going to miss you around here!

PRESS: Wauna CU Donates Reflectors To Improve Pedestrian Safety

Reflector article

Here’s the link: http://pamplinmedia.com/scs/83-news/297435-174322-reflectors-donation-helps-promote-pedestrian-safety

The Department of Human Services Self Sufficiency office in St. Helens intends to offer its clients safety reflector key chains to make them more visible as pedestrians.

The offer is being made possible following a donation from two community members Wednesday, March 9.

Victoria Worral, a Columbia City resident, and Cameron Willett, branch manager of the St. Helens Wauna Federal Credit Union, presented a donation of $1,200 worth of safety reflectors to Stephanie Wetherbee, an employee with the state Department of Human Services, on Wednesday.

Using donated funds from the credit union, Worral, who jokingly calls herself the “Reflector Lady,” was able to provide 480 safety reflectors to St. Helens Self Sufficiency to distribute to those who need them.

Worral has been promoting pedestrian visibility through the use of safety reflector keychains throughout the St. Helens area for nearly two years.

The donation will help promote safety and visibility for Columbia County residents by removing any economic barriers that might be exist, Wetherbee explained.

“A lot of the people that will be receiving these would not be able to purchase them on their own otherwise, for one reason or another,” Wetherbee said. “It’s amazing and it’s awesome that they’ll be able to get these.”

Worral met Willett at a Columbia County Rotary Club meeting in 2014 when she was promoting a safety awareness campaign through the use of reflector key chains. Willett said his two children regularly walk home from school, and Worral’s message stuck with with him. The two struck up a deal more than a year ago for the credit union to purchase reflectors that could be donated to the St. Helens community.

“Her message really resonated with me. Both my kids walk home from school everyday,” Willett said. “A lot of the streets in our neighborhood aren’t really well lit. My wife and I had the conversation about how it’s kind of a dangerous walk home and we plan for the best route for them to take, so when I heard what [Worral] was doing with reflectors, it just made sense for me.”

Worral spent most of last year working with Glimmis, a Swedish company, as a reflector distributor. During that time, she began to work with elementary schools, local businesses and, eventually, the St. Helens Youth Council, making connections in the community to sell and donate reflectors. One of those connections was also with employees at the Self Sufficiency office in St. Helens.

Wetherbee said the office plans to give reflectors to any client who comes in and may need one, including young families and adults who walk in areas that may not be well lit.

“It’ll still go to the same population of folks, children and families, people that will be in need and will be grateful to get these reflectors because they are traveling on foot and on bicycles, really all times of day and even at night,” Wetherbee said.

Wednesday’s donation also marked a small turning point for the work Worral has been doing. When Worral began her safety awareness campaign, she started by promoting reflectors for school-age children, enticing them with cool designs. Providing reflectors to an agency that serves a wide variety of clients of all ages will promote safety among adults as well, Worral said.

April 2016 Statement Insert: Election Winners, EMV Cards, & Clatskanie Remodel

April Statement 2016.jpg

Election Results for Board of Directors

A Record Number of Ballots were cast during Wauna CU 2016 Board of Directors Elections! Thank you!

The 49th Annual Meeting of the Wauna Credit Union membership occurred Saturday, March 5th, in Westport, Oregon.

Election results for the Board of Directors were announced; congratulations to: Debbie Huffman and George Dunkel (incumbants), and Neil Christensen, each elected to a 3-year term; and, Bill DeJager (incumbant) was elected to a 1-year term to complete a vacancy on the Board.
Wauna Credit Union officials thank the 658 members who voted by electronic ballot during this year’s election period.

Please visit the Wauna CU website or Facebook page to view the 49th Annual Report, plus additional details about the Annual Meeting, elections, and other related activities.

Clatskanie Branch Remodel Scheduled (April-July)

The Clatskanie Branch remodel project starts in early April. For complete details about the remodel, including a preview of the new lobby and drive-up area, please visit our website or Facebook page.

A few important details about the remodel include:

• Branch/Drive-up closed Friday, April 8.
• Branch reopens Monday, April 11, in a temporary
area of the building.
• Drive-up service will be unavailable
during the remodel period (April – July).
• The drive-up ATM & Night Drop will continue to
be in service throughout the remodel period.

Chip Technology Coming Soon to Wauna CU Debit, Credit Cards!

Wauna CU officials are excited to announce the delivery of chip technology with enhanced security for our Debit and Credit cards. When used at a chip-enabled terminal (such as at a point of sale or an ATM), chip cards provide a new layer of protection against unauthorized use and even card counterfeiting.

The Credit Union will begin issuing new chip Debit Cards this spring; and, members with a Wauna CU Credit Card will be issued a new chip card this summer. Please visit our website for more exciting details about our new chip technology for Debit and Credit Cards!

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

Wauna 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 Blumberg Just 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

On Feb. 15^th, 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.

This 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.

We 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!