United Heritage Credit Union

United Heritage Credit Union

Type	Credit union
Industry	Financial services
Headquarters	Austin, Texas
Number of locations	12 branches
Area served	Those who work, attend school or own a business in Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Smith or Wood county
Products	Savings accounts, checking accounts, consumer loans, Online Banking, Mobile Banking, ATMs
Website	uhcu.org

United Heritage Credit Union is a credit union headquartered in Austin, Texas, chartered and regulated under the authority of the Texas Credit Union Department ^[1] and federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. As of 2015 year-end, United Heritage Credit Union had $866 million in assets and over 57,150 members.^[2]

History

United Heritage Credit Union was founded in 1957 as Military Federal Credit Union offering loans and savings to military personnel. In 1969, the credit union expanded as Bergstrom Federal Credit Union, at which time it was able to add more services and increase its membership base. In 1989, the credit union merged with Texas Hospital Association Credit Union, Texas National Guard Credit Union and Healthcare Federal Credit Union. Therefore, by 1993, the credit union was able to include hospitals, hospital affiliates and select employer groups (SEGs) to its growing membership base. In that same year the credit union changed its name to United Heritage Federal Credit Union. Then in 1997, the credit union switched from a federal charter to a state charter, officially changing the name to United Heritage Credit Union.^[3]

In 2013, United Heritage Credit Union competed in an event called Social Madness – a corporate challenge created and run by American City Business Journals, the Charlotte, N.C.–based parent of the Austin Business Journal.^[4] The contest included 48 Austin companies at the onset and about 2,000 nationwide.^[5] After winning the Austin stage of the competition, United Heritage advanced to the national rounds, where it fell to opponent Mother of Mercy High School in Round 4 of the second annual Social Madness contest.^[6] Also in 2013, United Heritage was named as one of Austin’s Top 5 Credit Unions by the Austin Business Journal, along with the following credit unions:^[7]

1. University Federal Credit Union (UFCU)
2. Austin Telco Federal Credit Union
3. A+ Federal Credit Union
4. Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union
5. United Heritage Credit Union

In July 2013, United Heritage Credit Union launched an updated website at uhcu.org. Later in 2013, United Heritage competed in a Site of the Year contest organized by Kentico CMS. Sites built on the platform competed against one another in several categories, including Business Services, Consumer Goods, E-Commerce, Education, Financial Services and more. United Heritage competed in the Financial Services category and received the Best Financial Services Site title. The overall title of Site of the Year 2013 was awarded to the Canadian Red Cross website.^[8]

In 2015, United Heritage Credit Union made The Financial Brand's list of "Top 100 Credit Unions Using Social Media."^[9] That same year, the credit union nabbed a spot on The Financial Brand's list of "25 Inspirational & Responsive Banking Website Designs."^[10]

In 2016, the credit union won a number of awards—including a CUNA Diamond Award,^[11] Hermes Creative Award,^[12] American Business Award^[13] and Communicator Award^[14]—for its Summer Showtime campaign, an annual social media contest that gives entrants the chance to win tickets to concerts, theme parks and more via entries on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google+.

Branch Locations

Throughout the years, the credit union opened multiple branch locations. There are now 12 United Heritage Credit Union branches in Central Texas and Tyler, Texas.^[15] In 1988, it opened the North Austin location off of Mopac Expressway. In 1992, it opened its first branch in Tyler, Texas, which has since moved to a different location in Tyler. The next year, in 1993, it opened a branch in Georgetown, Texas. A few years later, in 1996, it opened a branch off of Manchaca Rd in South Austin, which then received an extensive renovation completed in 2011. In 2004, the credit union opened its Round Rock location and opened its Cedar Park branch in 2006.^[16] In 2008, the credit union opened 3 different locations, one in Lakeway,^[17] one in Westlake^[18] and one off of Slaughter Lane in Southwest Austin.^[19] Then in 2009, the Kyle, Texas location opened.^[20] In 2011, the credit union opened a branch in River Place, a community located west of Austin at RM 2222 and RR 620.^[21]

Membership and Organization

United Heritage Credit Union is a state chartered member-owned financial cooperative with branches in the Austin area and Tyler, Texas. The credit union also provides business services, including checking, savings and commercial loans.

United Heritage Credit Union is a member of the Alliance of Austin Credit Unions ^[22] and CO-OP Financial Services and participates as a CU Service Center. United Heritage is currently rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).^[23]

United Heritage Credit Union membership is available to anyone who lives, works, attends school, or has a business located in Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Smith or Wood county. Membership is also available to family members of current members or anyone who works for an employer on the select employer group list.^[24]

Employees

United Heritage employs over 197 people in the Austin and Tyler, Texas areas and has been recognized as a Top Workplace in Austin by the Austin American-Statesman for six consecutive years.^[25]

Products and Services

United Heritage Credit Union offers products and services found in many other financial institutions, including savings and checking accounts, multiple types of loan products and several investment products, as well as online and mobile banking services. United Heritage also offers several unique products, including Instant Issue Debit Cards,^[26] which are instantly issued debit cards that can be printed in minutes at any full-service UHCU branch location.

References