Credit Union Reaffirms Commitment to Provide Personal, Hands-On Service to Communities It Serves
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union (SLFCU) formally broke ground today on a new branch office at 1100 Rio Grande NW just north of I-40.
“We are very excited to add a branch in an area near Albuquerque’s Old Town that has few banks or credit unions nearby. At a time when many banks are consolidating operations and closing branches, we are investing in the communities we serve and are committed to being an economic engine that helps them grow and prosper,” said Stephanie Sherrodd, SLFCU’s CEO.
The new facility will be SLFCU’s 13th branch overall and its 12th in New Mexico. The Credit Union currently has six other locations in Albuquerque, two branches in Farmington, and one branch each in Edgewood, Los Lunas, and Rio Rancho in New Mexico, as well as a branch in Livermore, California.
The new branch, called Rio Grande Crossing, is designed in a New Mexico territorial architectural style to blend in with nearby Old Town. The single-story, 4,400-square-foot branch will include teller stations and five offices, as well as a drive-thru and ATM.
While the Credit Union fully leverages online and mobile banking tools for its members, it also believes in the importance of having the option to meet face to face.
Even as online banking has continued to grow in popularity, a May 2021 Sykes survey, “How Have Americans’ Banking Habits Shifted During the Pandemic?”, revealed more than a quarter of U.S. adults rank the ability to visit a branch as the most important retail bank benefit. Further, a 2019 Deloitte Insights report, “Recognizing the Value of Bank Branches in a Digital
P.O. Box 23040, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87192 | 505.293.0500 | 800.947.5328 | Fax 505.237.3750 | www.slfcu.org
World,” found that branches should be considered the “most powerful channel” for financial services that providers have to provide customers with high-touch, person-to-person services. The report found that 65 percent of respondents preferred branches for mortgages or mortgage refinance, 62 percent for wealth management accounts, 58 percent for checking, and 41 percent for credit cards.
MG Architects designed SLFCU’s new branch and Albuquerque-based Insight Construction Inc. is handling construction. The facility is expected to open in late 2023.
About SLFCU
Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union is one of New Mexico’s largest credit unions by asset size, and serves more than 137,000 members with 12 branches in the New Mexico area and one in Livermore, California. SLFCU currently holds $3.2 billion in assets. Formed in 1948 by employees of Sandia National Laboratories, the field of membership served by SLFCU now includes more than 1,100 partner companies in New Mexico and California. Employees of those companies and their family members use SLFCU for financial services that include checking, savings, home mortgages, auto loans, credit and debit cards, and investment services. Members enjoy a nationwide, surcharge-free ATM system and free online account services. The Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and is an Equal Housing Lender; we make loans without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or familial status.
References
https://www.sykes.com/resources/reports/2021-americans-banking-savings-preferences-behaviors/
https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/4999_Global-banking-survey/DI_Bank-branches-digital-world.pdf
Photo Credit: Breaking ground on the new branch office at 1100 Rio Grande NW in Albuquerque for Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union (SLFCU) were (left to right) Alex de la Cruz, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy & Growth Officer; Andrew Jaynes, Chief Credit Officer; Matthew Reidy, Chief Data and Planning Officer; Charles Maheras, SLFCU Board Chair; Stephanie Sherrodd, President and Chief Executive Officer;
Angela Murdock, SLFCU Board Member; Simon Goldfine, SLFCU Board Member; Dan Cover, Senior Vice President, Business Services and Rick Anderson, Executive Vice President (photo courtesy of SLFC).
