Having just celebrated 65 years of business on New Year’s Eve in 2024, First Trust Credit Union operates on the basis of service and trust, building personal relationships with members (account holders) and putting their needs first. Serving La Porte, Porter, Jasper, Newton, and Pulaski counties, anyone who lives or works within these counties or has a family member who is a current account holder is eligible to become an account holder. To begin, new account holders simply need to deposit $25 into a savings account.
“First Trust Credit Union, I believe, is very unique in who we are. Our staff provides friendly, knowledgeable service to our account holders,” said Marketing Director Dorene Martinson. “We get to know our account holders. It's very personal. We strive to take care of our account holders, and really get to know them and their financial needs. Our friendly, outstanding service definitely sets us apart.”
With 12 years at First Trust Credit Union under her belt, Martinson is a firm believer in the credit union concept. As full financial institutions, credit unions offer savings, checking, and investment accounts; loan products such as mortgage, auto, and personal loans; financial programming for kids and teens; and various clubs like Christmas Club and Vacation Club.
Martinson appreciates the credit union philosophies of giving back to the community and direct, personal involvement with account holders. Instead of having shareholders like banks, credit unions have a volunteer board of directors, and account holders have a say in who is on that board. In addition to having a say, account holders also benefit from better rates on loans and the advantage of having profits returned to them in the way of lower/no fees, affordable rates on loans, and competitive dividends on their accounts.
“Our profits go back to our members, such as offering better loan rates, and eliminating some of the fees found in other traditional financial institutions . We currently have a loan rate on our autos as low as 5.29%, which is one of the lowest rates in the area at this time. Having the ability to offer these low rates, from a financial point, is quite helpful to people in general. We're all about helping people, and staying true to the credit union philosophy of People Helping People, Martinson said.
While there may be a preconceived notion that credit unions are not as convenient as traditional banks, First Trust Credit Union prioritizes keeping up with the latest and greatest banking technology. With Digital Wallets, online banking, It’s Me 24/7, and a mobile app, First Trust Credit Union offers a host of electronic services. These electronic services also include security measures such as face, voice, and fingerprint recognition and an instantaneous debit card lock feature on the app.
“I've seen a lot of updates and changes technologically over the years, as we strive to make sure that we are up-to-date, offering the most modern financial services to our account holders,” Martinson said. “I've seen electronic services added, as well as safety features throughout the years in order to keep up with technology. We are continually striving to make sure we're offering the best financial services in the most convenient ways such as with our mobile app and our ‘It's Me 24/7’ online banking. We want to make sure banking is always at our account holders’ fingertips, and that it is safe, easy to navigate, and convenient.”
To learn more about the advantages of becoming a First Trust Credit Union account holder, visit firsttrustcu.com.
