The Bottom Line
Small business is important to Central Oregon, and to Mid Oregon. Find tips and resources for business, and information about Mid Oregon’s commercial services and business members.
Unprecedented Growth and Change
By Bill Anderson, Mid Oregon President/CEO
2016, a year of unprecedented growth and change, is passing very quickly for the credit union. Our staff are working to implement changes that will improve our capacity to provide you greater service.
La Pine Branch & Charter Expansion
Key elements of our business plan are being completed: the new branch construction in La Pine is on schedule and should be open by early June. In concert with that new location, our charter expansion approval by NCUA in January has already provided for new members joining the credit union from Wheeler, Lake and North Klamath Counties. We are actively reaching out to the new areas to let them know they are now eligible to join. We are very happy to have continued growth in all of our other Central Oregon areas too.
Increasing Support & Admin Facilities
As we grow, space for additional staff and services is now at a critical point. We purchased a new building to provide for continued expansion. During the next few months we will be moving entire departments around; contact center will be moving to East Bend, underwriting will be moving to Olney and commercial services will move into the admin areas of East Bend, allowing them to have appropriate office and meeting space to build on our successful commercial services department. Management, accounting, HR, compliance and marketing will be relocated to the new admin building where we will share the office with Combined Communications, NW Quadrant and other tenants leasing space from us as well as provide lease income to offset our building investment.
Organizational Focus
We continue to focus on our key goals and implement internal systems that provide clarity, speed to fulfillment and accountability for the organization. We’re making sure we are all on the same page by looking for ways to improve our relationship and service with our current and new members.
Things are going well and as we move through this time period of unprecedented growth and change for Mid Oregon, we are well prepared to work through the process with what we expect will be no discernible member service interruptions.
As always, thank you for your continued support of Mid Oregon!
Teen Tank- Redmond Students Pitch Projects
Shark Tank Style Event Will Feature Student Teams from Middle & High Schools
The Redmond Education Foundation is set to host the first ever Teen Tank student pitch event on May 7 at Redmond High School.
The event will feature teams from every middle and high school in Redmond School District as they pitch their ideas to a panel of guest judges. Students will pitch social, business and community focused projects to compete for the grand prize of $2,500 to execute their project.
Supporting Redmond School Students
Mid Oregon is excited to be a sponsor to support this inaugural event. This student version of “Shark Tank” fits in very well with our priorities of schools, students, community and business. Our longtime Redmond branch loan officer Jenny Kanoff also serves on the Redmond Education Foundation (REF) board of directors.
Other partner organizations involved include BasX, Straw Propeller Gourmet Foods, Redmond Kiwanis, Redmond Dental Group, Vision Source, Central Oregon Truck Company, Umpqua Bank of Redmond and Amber Wilson, Mortgage Loan Officer with Umpqua Bank.
Teen Tank Event Open to the Community
The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Redmond High School. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at a discounted rate of $5 per person in advance at www.redmondedfoundation.org. Tickets will also be sold at the door at $7 per person. All proceeds will benefit Redmond Education Foundation.
Attendees will enjoy live music performed by the RHS Jazz Ensemble and light refreshments made by the culinary program at Ridgeview High School. Michael Leland from Central Oregon Sparrow Clubs will serve as master of ceremonies.
Guest judges for the event include:
- Anne Graham, Redmond City Councilor
- Julie Leutschaft from Straw Propeller Gourmet Foods
- Andrew Gunther from Animal Welfare Approved
- Matthew Tobolski from BasX Solutions
- Anna Higgins from High Desert Education Service District
Julie Leutschaft, Vice President of Sales & Business for Straw Propellar Gourmet Foods and event judge, shared key points about the event.
“Straw Propeller Gourmet Foods is honored to be part of this event and we look forward to hearing the innovative ideas presented by students in the Redmond School District. We are excited to serve on the judging panel and we believe this is the start of something really great in our community. It is so important for youth to have a venue like this to express their creative ideas and we are inspired that the Redmond Education Foundation, the school district and business community have come together in support of the students to make this happen.”
For questions or more information, please contact Lisa Shropshire, Executive Director of REF, at 503-307-2436.
About the Redmond Education Foundation
The Mission of the Redmond Education Foundation is to promote and enhance excellence in the education in our community by providing independent financial support for creative, innovative and relevant programs. The Foundation exists to assist students from within the Redmond School District communities reach their highest potential, enabling them to have a positive and lasting impact as they enter society.
Community Heroes Celebration- This Night’s For You!
Costco’s Community Heroes Celebration April 30
Mid Oregon Credit Union has partnered with Costco Wholesale in Bend for their “Community Heroes Celebration” happening on Saturday evening, April 30. From 6 to 8 pm, local community heroes- Public safety (police, fire, 911 workers, etc), educators, medical industry employees and active & retired military plus their families and friends- are invited to a special shopping event at Costco. Costco membership is not required and no admission will be charged at the door.
The Community Heroes Celebration is the kickoff to Costco’s Miracle Balloon Campaign held every May. This annual campaign is the primary source of the fundraising effort made by Costco and its partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Members are invited to make a donation at the time of checkout and encouraged to write their names on the balloons, which are often displayed at the front of the warehouse. Locally the event supports OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, which has delivered hope and healing to families from throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington since 1926.
Fun Event For the Entire Family!
Costco will be providing some exclusive offers at this event. Becoming Costco members during this event attendees can receive either a $10 or $20 Costco Cash Card. Cake will be served from Costco’s bakery, and light refreshments will be served. Face painting and cookie decorating make things interesting for children. A large variety of community business partners will be present with special offers, sampling and more fun. Attendees who open a Mid Oregon account during the evening will receive a $10 Costco Cash Card which can be used that evening.
Mid Oregon Membership Especially Benefits
Mid Oregon began in 1957 with 8 Prineville school employees chartering Tri County Teachers Federal Credit Union. In 1982, after our name was changed to Mid Oregon Federal Credit Union, we merged with Central Oregon Federal Credit Union which served federal, state, county & city government employees. After Federal law was changed in the 1990’s to allow credit unions to serve communities, many medical industry employees have joined Mid Oregon.
As a result, of the almost 25,000 Mid Oregon members in Central Oregon, an estimated 6,000 of our members are currently employed or retired from one of these “Community Hero” groups. We anticipate seeing a lot of our members at Costco that evening, making this Community Heroes Celebration a perfect event for Mid Oregon to take part.