Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)—the 16th largest bank in the U.S. and previously among Forbes’s list of top financial institutions—was shuttered by regulators on March 10, 2023. This was the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history with Washington Mutual being the largest at the height of the financial crisis in 2008. State regulators also closed New York-based Signature Bank on March 12. Developments will continue to unfold in the coming weeks. Your money is safe with Mid Oregon.
Between these recent headlines about the banking industry and the continued uncertainty of the global economy, this felt like the perfect time to remind you that Mid Oregon is here for our members—safe and strong—just as we have been since 1957.
Many of you who attended our Annual Meeting on March 4 heard that Mid Oregon is financially secure. We meet (or exceed) regulatory standards for well-capitalized financial services providers, and are well-positioned to meet our members’ financial services needs, including loans and savings opportunities.
Here are a few key points to keep in mind:
- Our top priority is protecting your finances. At Mid Oregon, all member accounts are insured by National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) to at least $250,000 per individual. If a member has over $250,000 on deposit, options are provided for additional share insurance coverage.
- Credit union members have never lost a penny of insured savings at a federally insured credit union.
- Mid Oregon is very well capitalized, with total capital exceeding 10% of assets.
- Our loan quality indicators are among the best in the industry.
- Our portfolio is diverse and not dependent on a sole industry. The failed banks are much different—they had unique portfolios, focused on tech, venture capital, and cryptocurrency interests.
- Mid Oregon invests primarily in loans to Central Oregon members and businesses to help our local economy. SVB catered to tech start-ups and the venture capital community.
- Less than 7% of Mid Oregon’s member deposits are uninsured, and spread across individuals and small businesses in Central Oregon. This is a very different deposit base than SVB.
- Mid Oregon maintains emergency liquidity resources that exceed 10% of total assets.
- As of today, Mid Oregon has no balance outstanding on its credit lines.
- We do not have stockholders. We do not engage in risky practices to meet stockholders’ profit demands. Our cooperative, not-for-profit structure inherently holds us accountable to you and the other Mid Oregon members.
- We have a loyal member base that chooses us for convenience and quality service.
Your Money is Safe with Mid Oregon
The bottom line is that Mid Oregon is healthy, strong, safe, local, and focused on building thriving communities.
Please contact us if you have any questions—our leadership team would be happy to discuss the safety and soundness of Mid Oregon further with you. Additionally, you can send a message through the “Contact the President” link or by calling or texting us as 541-382-1795. If you would like more information about the SVB closure, we have put together a Frequently Asked Questions sheet.
And if you ever do experience financial hardship, please reach out to us. Our experienced staff is here to help with solutions and assistance for your unique situation.
