Your Neighborhood Credit Union

7 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 4 members. In the meantime, management remains as nimble as possible. One example is when a Waterloo branch was being renovated, YNCU opened a temporary branch in a nearby building where a well-known and widely respected restaurant had recently closed. YNCU embraced the restaurant theme while it was housed there with the help of interior design partner Mayhew Inc. When the new Waterloo location has opened, the space will be preserved to attract a new restaurant proprietor to the building. The credit union also evolves to meet the preferences of members. For example, its previous Windsor branch was located inside a mall. Yet with mall traffic falling and member expectations changing, management moved the branch to a newer, more modern location that is no longer reliant on mall traffic for the business. The standalone Windsor location is also easier for many members to access. “We always want to be aware of what our members are looking for while offering modern amenities and products for our members,” says Bonifacio. YNCU relies on such industry partners as Aviso Wealth for wealth management and CUMIS for member account protection whether for personal, financial, or business needs. There are other ways that YNCU provides a higher level of service as a credit union compared to a bank, particularly during a time of high- interest rates and inflation. Bonifacio believes that providing the right advice at the right time is important to help members prepare for times of financial uncertainty. He adds that it is an example of “we can build trust with our members.” Other advantages of a credit union are its commitment to the community and the connections that its employees create with members. “We know our members, and enjoy meeting their neighbors, friends, and family members,” says Bonifacio.