As President and CEO of HRCU, I am very proud to say that our organization has continued to fulfill our mission of serving the community. While it may seem odd to consider a credit union as a community organization, we believe in staying true to the philosophy of what a not-for-profit financial institution should be for its members and the communities they serve.
A lot has changed in the 57 years of HRCU, and I would like to think the parishioners of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary parish are proud of what we’ve become with servicing close to 22,000 members. Who would have thought that our credit union, started literally in a shoe box, would progress to the point of taking a picture of a check on your mobile device and instantly it appears in your account. What would Monsignor Gilles Simard, HRCU founder, say about that?
In 2018, over $94 million in new loans, funded by local deposits, were distributed to members. These funds directly contributed to the local economy through home purchases, improvements and repairs. They also assist with financing and refinancing of home and auto loans and at times help someone get their first car. We work hard to assist members with sound advice, while maintaining a practice of responsible lending.
On average, HRCU opened six new accounts per day over the past year; which is undoubtedly due to our vast financial offerings, as well as, the outstanding member service that our team provides. This also means that our members become our best ambassadors, spreading the good word about HRCU every single day.
In 2019 we look forward to reopening a newly renovated and more convenient branch at Spaulding High School. Besides serving our members at the branch we strongly believe that supporting and educating our youth is critical to our mutual success. In addition to the Spaulding High School branch we are able to provide financial education to hundreds of elementary school students through our Junior Achievement program. This year alone we reached over 440 middle school students throughout our community. In May, we will be hosting over 350 Spaulding High School sophomores for our 10th annual CU 4 Reality fair. A commitment to our youth is another reason I am so proud of HRCU and what we are able to give back to the community.
We look forward to the road ahead to serve you - our member. I encourage you to look through our annual report and see for yourself the commitment that HRCU has made to you and our community. We are thankful and proud to have your support as your trusted financial partner.
Brian Hughes
President & CEO