The highlight of the year was undoubtedly the opening of our Garrison Village branch and insurance office in Chilliwack. This new location is a departure from the traditional ways of banking—there are no wicket queues, no tellers and no designated, desk-centred offices. Instead, meeting spaces are designed to make the flow of business more open and relational. Perhaps the most important change is our approach to growing the business. Business development is no longer the responsibility of just one or two roles, but of every employee in the branch. When a member walks into our new branch, the person who greets them now serves all of their banking, borrowing and investing needs, creating a unique, comprehensive service experience. Recognizing that our members value flexibility, all staff at our Garrison Village location are fully mobile and can conduct business where it’s most convenient for our members, whether that be in the branch, at their home or in their neighbourhood coffee shop.

In 2015, we will open another new branch based on this model in the Brick Yard Station area of Cloverdale, providing even greater accessibility to our members and introducing our services to one of the fastest growing communities in B.C.

And speaking of the neighbourhood coffee shop—businesses are a vital part of the local economy and we love to see them succeed. To help support business and commercial members even more, we invested in the skills and expertise of our business banking advisors in 2014. Our business and commercial banking team is well-equipped to provide members with expert advice for the challenges of a competitive marketplace.

Last year was a year of firsts. First West Credit Union was the first credit union in B.C. to launch Interac® Online payments and the first to launch Interac® Flash. We introduced these new products and services to provide our members with more banking options. Let me tell you a little about these two products:

• Interac® Online payments are a convenient way to shop online and pay for purchases through an account using online banking.
• Interac® Flash allows members to pay for everyday purchases instantly from their savings or chequing account simply by tapping their Flash-enabled MemberCard on a supporting payment terminal—no PIN required. We are currently piloting Interac® Flash cards at our Willoughby and High Street branches and expect the cards to be available across all Envision Financial locations into 2016.

We were also proud to introduce the TFSA Early Bird Account to members in the Envision region. This new product allows members who have already maximized their yearly TFSA contribution to start saving for next year’s contribution while receiving a great interest rate.

At all locations, our entire team’s approach to serving our members evolved last year. We call our new approach “advisory-based service,” where we provide our members and clients exemplary advice, services and products aligned to their needs and life stages. Our changes have really resonated with our members who have come to rely on our team as trusted and knowledgeable advisors who are working alongside them to reach their goals.

As I say every year, the success of the past year is due solely to the exceptional advice and service our committed staff provide and to the loyalty and support of our members. I am so grateful to be part of such an amazing team and proud to serve such dedicated members. Thank you!

Helping make futures bright

When a new day school in New Westminster needed a mortgage for its first location, Envision Financial was there to help. After more than a decade of strong growth, the Urban Academy is now undertaking an ambitious expansion project and Envision is supporting them every step of the way.

“Our goal is to provide students—from junior kindergarten to grade 12—with rigorous academic program instruction and depth in the fine arts with the intention of creating global citizens who go on to be a force for change in their communities,” says Urban Academy’s Head of School Cheryle Beaumont.

Educating 160 students in two locations, the Urban Academy is outgrowing its current facilities and plans to start construction on its new building project in spring 2015. Once complete, the new facility will have capacity for 450 students in a single location—still small enough to maintain the school’s community atmosphere, but large enough to add more programs and resources. The expansion is slated to open its doors Sept. 2016.

“Our partners at Envision Financial have worked very hard at wrapping their heads around what we’re trying to do here. They have met with us in person many times to understand our needs,” says Beaumont. “Envision Financial has been instrumental in helping us secure the funding for the school’s expansion and realize our growth plans.”

By the numbers

• 87 per cent of credit union members who do personal banking under the Envision Financial banner would most likely recommend us to a friend or family member
• 88 per cent of clients would most likely recommend our insurance services to a friend or family member
• 3,577 net new members joined Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union
• 81 per cent of credit union members state we are better than other companies they regularly use for products and services
• 673 members referred a friend or family member through our Referral Perks program

Member Highlights

• Garrison Village branch and insurance office opened in Chilliwack; this new branch is an open, interactive space where members can come in and try out new technology advancements, talk to us about a mortgage or investment, purchase insurance and much more
• Announced a new branch will open in Brick Yard Station in Cloverdale in 2015
• Based on member feedback, statements were redesigned to make banking simpler for members
• Launched Interac® Online, bringing members the convenience of paying for online purchases directly from their account
• Helped members get a jump start on saving for next year's TFSA contribution by launching TFSA Early Bird Account
• Foreign exchange ATM introduced at Garrison Village branch to provide members with easier access to US cash

Douglas College Community Capacity Building program

When Envision Financial opened up shop in Coquitlam in 2005, it began looking for ways it could have a meaningful impact in the local community. Douglas College quickly emerged as a great community partner and over the past 10 years, the two have developed a close relationship.

“Our partnership with Envision Financial began in 2005 with sponsorship of a Christmas festival and has matured into a community education outreach program that enriches communities throughout Metro Vancouver,” says Hazel Postma, Douglas College’s Associate Vice-President, Advancement & External Relations. “Our relationship has deepened over the years, moving from providing pleasure to thousands of people each year at the festival, to giving dozens of students awards for academic excellence through the Envision Financial Scholarship, through to growing the capacity of non-profits to do marketing, event planning, social media and outreach.”

"This partnership is truly a win-win for the students and for the nonprofits,” says Christina Cawkell, faculty member of the marketing department at Douglas College. “The students get to apply their learning in real world situations and the non-profits end up with useful marketing collateral they otherwise couldn't afford. It’s exciting to see how the students engage with the projects beyond the classroom. Envision Financial's involvement adds another dimension to the learning environment which makes that capacity building a reality."

Over the years, the non-profits that have benefitted from the program include the Surrey Food Bank, Eagle Ridge Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store, Coquitlam Foundation, and most recently, Alouette Addiction Services and the Abbotsford Community Foundation.

“The Abbotsford Community Foundation is grateful to Envision Financial and Douglas College for selecting us to participate in this exciting program that gives students the opportunity to put their skills to work in the real world,” says Susan McAlevy, Executive Director of the Abbotsford Community Foundation. “As a non-profit with a limited operating budget we will benefit from their creativity and expertise. The results will help us provide more support for the charities serving our community and allow us to build on our tradition of supporting students.”

Community Investment: By the Numbers

• More than $1.4 million donated to worthy causes and organizations in our local communities
• More than $102,000 of in-kind contributions to charitable partners
• 4,504 total hours volunteered by staff in the Envision Financial region supporting community partners throughout our region
• $139,592 raised and 11,982 pounds of food collected for The Full Cupboard and our 11 local food banks
• Staff volunteered 555 hours holding 100 fundraising events for The Full Cupboard in the Envision Financial region
• 1,251 gifts collected and 4,600 pounds of food donated through The Full Cupboard Holiday program
• Over 855 hours of volunteerism with 22 projects in nine Envision Financial communities for Our Make a Difference Days program
• 54 free concerts for local residents through the Envision Twilight Concert Series, Envision Coffee House Concert Series and Envision Concert in the Park Series

• More than 45 classrooms in 10 districts and 3000 students participated with Envision Financial’s PowerPlay Strategies Young Entrepreneur® program in which students donate 10% of earned profit to a non-profit organization of their choice; Since 2012, over $14,000 has been donated to local charities throughout our region
• $253,512 raised for Envision Financial Run for Water; 31 local and area schools and over 10,000 students participated in the Envision a Better World: Learn, Create, Run educational curriculum
• More than $35,000 donated to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation in our annual campaign bringing our total giving since 2007 to $249,473
• $27,000 contributed to students’ post-secondary education through the Envision Financial Education Award program
• 20 secondary students received mentoring from employees in the Envision Financial region
• $63,622 pledged to local charities and community organizations by employees as part of our employee giving campaign

2014 Community Partners

Throughout the year, Envision Financial supports a variety of non-profit and charitable organizations in our communities. In 2014, our community partners included:

Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union, is a proud participant of London Benchmark Group (Canada), a growing group of companies committed to maximizing the value of their community investment—for community partners and for the business. Our community investment results are based on London Benchmark Group (Canada) valuation principles.

Before the end of June, we’d merged our Peachland branch with Vintage Hills, moved our UBC Okanagan operations to our Rutland branch and consolidated our Glenmore location with Orchard Plaza to form what will soon become our flagship retail hub. We’d also extended operating hours across our network, opening earlier throughout the week, introducing 8 p.m. closing time on Thursday and bringing Saturday service to the majority of our branches.

Early in the year we also started planning our Vernon branch and insurance office relocation. Although our branch on 34th Street served us well for close to 20 years, we knew we could make a bigger impact in the Vernon community and on Nov. 3, 2014, we re-opened in Fruit Union Plaza. This stunning new branch is in a high-visibility, high-traffic area and has been designed to enable us to combine member service and technology.

Last year also marked a significant step forward in service delivery to our business banking members. We added four business banking advisors to our team and equipped them to work outside of the traditional office environment. This growing team gives us mobility and presence in the community, allowing us to be more flexible in serving our business members.

The response from our members about these changes, which represent just a few highlights from 2014, has been overwhelmingly positive. I’d like to personally thank our great team for bringing these changes to life and also our members, who have embraced them so strongly.

I say it every year, but I truly believe the success of Valley First comes down to two things: the commitment of our dedicated employees and the loyalty and support of our members and clients.

Thank you all, once again, for being part of creating our future and guiding us to the end of another incredibly full and successful year.

Bad Tattoo: Vision and partnership key to creating success

With its solid line-up of craft beers and creative rock-oven pizzas, Bad Tattoo has quickly established itself as one of Penticton’s busiest hotspots. This quick success is a good news story for Bad Tattoo, its partners and supporters, and the local business scene.

Lee Agur, Bad Tattoo’s manager, believes the key to Bad Tattoo’s success is its uniqueness.

“We have an eccentric name, amazing building, cool locally designed labels, rock-oven pizzas and, most importantly, excellent craft beer,” says Agur. “We love what we do and we’re excited and proud of what we have built. Our excitement is infectious. People immediately recognize this and it makes them excited and proud and turns them into natural ambassadors of Bad Tattoo Brewing.”

Although the success of Bad Tattoo’s first few months can make launching a new business sound simple, the reality is far from the truth. Bad Tattoo co-owner Martin Lewis acknowledges how hard it is to establish a new business venture and says opening the doors at one of Penticton’s newest eateries was a collaborative effort made possible through the hard work of many people.

“With Bad Tattoo, we wanted to build a destination brewery that would give customers a place to come and try our craft beer and build brand recognition so that they could find them in the market,” says Lewis. “This could not have happened without strong partners like Valley First and the City of Penticton, who recognized and supported our vision. Valley First was quick to support and help nurture this project. The people are down to earth and understand business, removing red tape and believing in the people behind the project, not just the numbers.”

On helping bring Bad Tattoo to life, the banking experts from Valley First say Bad Tattoo had obviously done its homework.

“An all too common mistake from an inexperienced business person is a lack of business planning,” says Heather O’Coin, a Valley First business banking advisor. “The Bad Tattoo crew had a clear view of where they wanted to go and how they were going to get there. This makes our job as a financing partner much easier. Business planning is critical to the success of any business.”

By the numbers

• 89 per cent of credit union members who do personal banking under the Valley First banner would most likely recommend us to a friend or family member
• 87 per cent of clients would most likely recommend our insurance services to a friend or family member
• 2,909 net new members joined Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union
• 82 per cent of our credit union members state we are better than other companies they regularly use for products and services

Member Highlights

• Extended our opening hours across all our branch and insurance locations to give members and clients greater access to products, services and advice
• Enhanced our ability to provide wealth solutions to members by newly licensing 16 personal bankers
• Delivered more business banking solutions and expanded our business banking team across the region
• Relocated and transformed our Vernon branch and insurance office into a terrific new location that will ultimately combine member service with technology
• Continued our growth in the Kamloops and Kelowna markets as we celebrated the Valley First Place and RiverBend one-year anniversaries
• Gave members access to stronger branch teams and more on-site expertise by completing the Central Okanagan branch consolidation project
• Strengthened sports tourism in the Okanagan by becoming title sponsors of the Valley First Challenge Penticton Canada event
• Gave arts and culture a place to grow through the naming sponsorship of the Valley First Community Theatre in Penticton

Student consultants shape food bank strategy

Activities such as client research, marketing and strategic planning are essential to the success of any business. However, the emergence of new channels, particularly digital marketing and social media, have made these activities more complex for even the largest companies.

For non-profit groups and community organizations that operate on a limited budget, this complexity is no small problem. While there is a strong need to connect with the community for support and to broadcast their services, the simple fact is many community groups don’t have the budget or resources to seize the opportunity afforded by new channels.

To address this problem, Valley First forged a unique directed studies program with Thompson Rivers University (TRU) that sees marketing support provided to local non-profits at no cost.

The directed studies program provides the savvy and skills of a fourth-year TRU student-led team to a non-profit organization and assists them with their marketing efforts. Valley First committed $10,000 in scholarship funds to the TRU Foundation for students who successfully complete the academic requirements of the program.

In addition to helping non-profit groups take advantage of the latest marketing strategies to achieve their goals, the program also provides soon-to-graduate students with some very valuable hands-on business experience to put on their resume. Students spent the fall of 2014 with the Kamloops Food Bank, bringing forward innovative plans and recommendations to foster volunteer growth and community awareness for the food bank.

“Students are using their classroom knowledge to address the challenges faced by a non-profit organization. These hands-on projects enable students to see the practical value of their classroom learning,” says Anne Lavack, professor of marketing in TRU’s School of Business & Economics. “Having business student volunteers undertake high quality projects for a non-profit organization provides real benefits for the entire community.”

2014 Community Investment – By the Numbers

• More than $850,000 donated to worthy causes and organizations in our local communities
• 592 hours of employee time donated through Valley First’s employee volunteerism program
• More than $273,400 raised and more than 6,000 pounds of food collected for Feed the Valley and our 11 local food banks
• More than $31,000 of in-kind contributions to charitable partners
• More than $1,500 collected and 689 pounds of food donated through Feed the Valley Holiday program
• $32,000 contributed to students’ post-secondary education through the Valley First Education Award program
• $44,483 pledged to local charities and community organizations by employees as part of our Employee Giving campaign
• $22,476 donated to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation in our annual campaign, bringing our total giving since 2007 to more than $37,800
• Our Make a Difference Days program contributed over 239 volunteer hours to 15 projects in seven Valley First communities
• 20 free concerts for local residents through the Valley First Music in the Park series in Armstrong, Kelowna’s Legacy Park series and Oliver’s Concert in the Park series
• Launched PowerPlay Strategies Young Entrepreneur® program in Kamloops, West Kelowna and Kelowna, with over 120 students participating
• More than 50 staff volunteered and participated in the Valley First Challenge Penticton
• Contributed $10,000 to the capital campaign of Kamloops Community YMCA-YWCA

2014 Community Partners

Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, is a proud participant of London Benchmark Group (Canada), a growing group of companies committed to maximizing the value of their community investment—for community partners and for the business. Our community investment results are based on London Benchmark Group (Canada) valuation principles.

Last year, I shared that I was truly excited to welcome the Enderby team into the First West Credit Union network of brands. It’s now been close to two years since they officially joined First West and I have to say I’m truly happy with the way they’ve become part of the team.

The Enderby team has seen a significant amount of change since they joined First West—leadership changes, new processes and procedures, and new branch hours—but they’ve continued to positively adapt and perform at the highest level. Whenever I visit the branch, I’m inspired by the team’s resilience as they continue to support our members and the community with the same level of enthusiasm they’ve always had, despite the numerous changes they’ve seen.

Of course, we don’t just change things for the sake of change. Each time we’ve introduced a new product, process or application, we’ve done so for one of two reasons: either to make things simpler for our members or to make things simpler for our employees. We’ve seen the success of this approach reflected in the growth of our membership and the increasingly positive feedback from members.

When Enderby & District Financial joined First West Credit Union, one of the questions I was regularly asked was, “What will happen to our community support?” At the time, I was confidently able to say, community support will remain an integral part of Enderby & District Financial. Though there were many highlights on the community calendar this year, I want to draw attention to one in particular.

In 2014, we distributed the first grants from the Enderby & District Financial Community Endowment. Close to $19,000 was presented to four well-deserving community organizations. I know these funds will make a big impact in Enderby and just as importantly this support will deepen our relationship with the community. You can read more about these community endowment grants in our community highlights.

To close, I’d like to extend a special thank you to all the First West Credit Union members who do business through Enderby & District Financial and to our Enderby team. We’ve achieved a lot together over the last two years—thank you for helping us be so successful. Here’s to another exciting year together in 2015.

A full range of financial services to support changing needs

Sandra Volpatti can’t recall how long she’s been a credit union member in Enderby. Sandra and husband Reno operated a dairy farm in the area for many years and there was never any decision to be made when it came to choosing a financial institution.

“I couldn’t tell you when I opened my first account. Enderby & District Financial have always been such a part of our community that it is hard to imagine going anywhere else. The credit union was there to help when Reno’s parents purchased the farm in 1963 and have provided the advice, support and services to get our family through more than 50 years of farming. Now that we are semi-retired, they are right here to guide us through this stage of our lives as well.”

Volpatti grew up in Enderby and has seen a lot of changes to the community over the years. The town has grown up around her and there are more options available these days, but her children—and now her grandchildren—are still choosing Enderby & District Financial.

“It doesn’t feel like I’m at the bank when I’m there. I get all the services and professional advice I need with a friendly, personal touch that really sets them apart. Not many people would describe going to the bank as comfortable, but that’s exactly how I feel when I walk in the door of my credit union.”

After selling their cattle and easing into retirement about five years ago, the Volpattis’ needs have shifted away from the business of farming to managing their retirement.

“We were dairy farmers all of our lives so when it came time to retire, dealing with a myriad of financial options and getting some sound, trusted advice was something we really needed. The credit union was there with investment products and advice we needed, as well as making sure we didn’t miss out on any of the advantages of RRSPs and TFSAs.”

Understanding member needs and having that personal connection also helps ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.

“We aren’t very good at reading all the different notices we get regarding deadlines and any changes we need to make to our investments, but it’s not something I have to worry about because we always get a friendly phone call whenever we really need to do something.“

By the numbers

• 89 per cent of credit union members who do personal banking under the Enderby & District Financial banner would most likely recommend us to a friend or family member
• 36 net new members joined Enderby & District Financial, a division of First West Credit Union
• 83 per cent of credit union members at the Enderby branch state we are better than other companies they regularly use for products and services

Member Highlights

• Offering a full range of investment options and advice for members, from informative investment cafes to term deposit vehicles
• Full-service mortgage consulting, including what to bring to your first appointment to fast-track approvals to insurance advice
• Delivering expert financial advice from regional experts via state-of-the-art video conferencing
• Putting more money in the pockets of our members with the introduction of our high-interest savings account and our New Member incentive
• Giving back to our community with 200 pounds of food and $6,896 for the Vernon and Enderby Salvation Army food banks from our Feed the Valley campaign
• Keeping members connected with free Wi-Fi in branch and new mobile banking calculators

Endowment begins to bear fruit

Prior to our merger with First West, we established the $500,000 Enderby Financial Community Endowment within the First West Foundation in 2013. This endowment was set up to provide an annual source of funds to be allocated to worthy community projects in Enderby now and into the future, continuing our commitment to help build the communities we serve.

We were very pleased to see the first distribution of grant money—nearly $19,000— make its way to four very deserving community groups.

The Kingfisher Interpretive Centre is a community-based salmon hatchery and environmental education centre that was established in Enderby almost 30 years ago. Thanks in part to a grant from the endowment, they were able to host five weeks of fall field trips and experiential outdoor educational opportunities for local school children and visitors to the site.

The NexusBC Community Resource Centre has been helping North Okanagan residents since 1988 with a variety of programs for jobseekers, immigrants and seniors. Endowment funding has allowed them to establish a pilot program of workshops to improve computer literacy for seniors.

The Family Place of the Enderby and District Community Resource Centre offers program for families raising pre-school aged children. Endowment support has led to the launch of a program aimed at reducing isolation, increasing parenting and nutritional skills, and providing education on healthy early- childhood development.

The Enderby Preschool Society is a non-profit childcare organization. Grant funding has enabled them to provide free snacks and meals for at-risk children aged 5-10 years during their After School Kid’s Program.

Community Investment: By the Numbers

• Nearly $55,500 invested back into Enderby and neighbouring communities
• More than $750 contributed to non-profit partners as employee volunteerism during working hours
• $6,896 raised and 200 pounds of food collected for Feed the Valley and Enderby & District Community Resource Centre
• 300 pounds of food, $540 and 47 gifts donated through Feed the Valley Holiday program
• More than 150 children and families attended our annual Youth Day festivities
• $7,500 contributed to student’s post-secondary education through the Enderby & District Financial Education Award program
• More than 60 A.L. Fortune Secondary students participated in our financial literacy program, Financial Fitness
• $433 pledged to local charities and community organizations by employees as part of our Employee Giving campaign

2014 Community Partners

Throughout the year, Enderby & District Financial supports a variety of non-profit and charitable organizations. In 2014, our community partners included:

Enderby & District Financial, a division of First West Credit Union, is a proud participant of London Benchmark Group (Canada), a growing group of companies committed to maximizing the value of their community investment—for community partners and for the business. Our community investment results are based on LBG Canada valuation principles.

Here for members

Established in 1951, Island Savings is a full-service financial institution with branches from Victoria to Nanaimo to Salt Spring Island. Not only is Island Savings the fastest-growing financial institution based on Vancouver Island, but they are also renowned for having the Islands’ most recommended banking experience. Anchored by a strong financial expert role in the neighbourhoods it serves, Island Savings is committed to delivering remarkable banking experiences every time, guaranteed.

Making Island lives even better

What’s more, Island Savings is committed to impacting the financial and economic well-being of members, employees and communities. Every year, Island Savings gives more than $500,000 back to the community. Through innovative programs like their Waves of Kindness and GIFT—which provides leadership, sponsorship, financial, and in-kind support to community groups—Island Savings helps improve families’ quality of life and build strong communities. Island Savings also partners with external charitable and community-based organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence and Success by Six. Their community impact will only continue to grow with the new $2 million Island Savings Community Endowment, established within the First West Foundation.

While enriching their communities, Island Savings has also enjoyed a long-standing reputation as a top employer in the province. For five years running, Island Savings has ranked as one of Aon Hewitt's top 50 employers in Canada.

A perfect fit

We’re thrilled to have Island Savings as our newest regional brand. Deeply embedded in everything they do is the “Island way of life,” a dedication to acting and investing locally, unparalleled service and unwavering commitment to community. We’re proud to say none of that will change, but will only get better as we imagine what’s next for Island Savings as part of First West Credit Union.