Westerra Credit Union Announces Change in Leadership

What exactly are they, and why do they matter so much?

Everyone knows the importance of saving money. But start looking into specific savings account options and interest-earning opportunities, and suddenly everything starts feeling a whole lot less straightforward. Luckily, you have plenty of options.

A lot has changed since the days of stashing away birthday money and weekly allowance in a ceramic piggy bank.

Support and Relief Resources

76 Teachers Were Awarded $500 Each and Nine School Districts Each Received $1,000

Credit Scores help prove to lenders our trustabillity in order for them to grant loan products. Are you trying to build your credit? Whether its information about credit, advice on making payments or ways to improve your score we have tips to help!

Learn about the advantages of a HELOC

Westerra is reaffirming its dedication to supporting local students and schools through a series of impactful initiatives that include comprehensive financial literacy programs, career development workshops, and more.

We are excited to welcome Mary White to our team! With over 30 years of experience in the mortgage field she is the perfect addition to our team to ensure our members are educated and taken care of throughout their homebuying process.

Join us on October 29th at 12:00 pm mountain time for our First Time Homebuyer Seminar! Attendees will learn about the homebuying process from start to finish and receive $500 off closing costs if they attend the full seminar.

Learn about the advantages of opening a credit card with Westerra Credit Union. Enjoy low interest rates, rewards, and more!

Debit cards provide a convenient way to make purchases, but some are better than others. Discover the benefits of shopping with a Westerra debit card in our latest blog.

Members should be aware of increased phishing activity where scammers are spoofing Westerra phone numbers to try to access personal information and account numbers from members.

We are excited to announce the opening of our new Littleton location! Join us for our Grand Opening Event on October 5th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm where there will be swag, a raffle for 2 beach cruisers, refreshments and an opportunity to meet Dinger!

Get a quick snapshot of financial tips and tricks to help get started on the right financial foot forward.

Save the Day. Help your child set up an account

Whether you’ve got a 4 year old or an 18 year old at home, it’s never too early (or too late!) to start talking about money management.

There are four main Money Personalities: the spender, the saver, the money monk and the avoider. Whichever Money Personality category you fall into, we have tips to help!

Our smart money checking is reverse tier checking account that helps members earn higher rates on lower balances with a competitive 6.00% APY on their first $2000 each month.

In honor of our 90th anniversary Westerra is offering 9.00% APY and 8.648% dividend rate on our 5 month Certificate of Deposit. This limited time offer starts September 3rd in our local branches.

Ready for a vacation? We have tips to help you save for your next dream vacation. Whether its cancelling subscriptions, having a garage sale or opening an extra savings account to store your vacation fund, we have tips and strategies for you!

A guide to earning and using your points.

Westerra members can securely send and receive money using our Pay People (P2P) feature in digital banking or our mobile app!

We are partnering with the Denver Police Department and Denver's City Attorney's office to host a free seminar with important information on how seniors can protect their funds and personal information.

The "Building Wealth through Home Ownership" virtual seminar series will help you better understand mortgages, so you can make educated home buying decisions.

We are proud to announce that we are the proud sponsor for this year's Denver Pridefest and the Denver Pride 5k. We will have a booth at the event and staff participating in the parade and 5K.

Westerra is highlighting its partnership with the Colorado Clean Energy Fund's RENU program, a statewide residential Energy Efficient loan program.

Learn the art of financial management with debit cards! Discover their benefits and smart strategies for budgeting in our latest blog.

We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Westerra Cares Scholarship Program. This scholarship recognizes students’ outstanding academic achievement, leadership potential and community involvement to help continue their educational journey.

We are proud to announce that we are turning 90 this year! We are committed to helping all of our members prosper, which is why we try stick to our roots while also making advancements to further improve the member experience.

Westerra partnered with the Colorado Rockies and chose a teacher to throw the first pitch during the May 10th game in honor of Teacher Appreciation week.

We are proud to announce the new contactless cards feature that will add an extra layer of security to your everyday card transactions.

We are pleased to announce that Scott Annis has been selected as our new Senior VP of Information Technology. Scott's skillset and knowledge have been vital in building trust and improving capabilities across the organization to better help our members.

We are excited to announce that we have partnered with the Colorado Rockies for their 2024 baseball season and their Teacher Appreciation week.

We are excited to announce that Daniel (DJ) Kutch has joined our team as the new Chief Financial Officer! With nearly 25 years of experience in the financial industry DJ is the perfect fit to ensure the sustainability for both Westerra and our members.

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting our annual all staff meeting and afternoon of service, "Volunterra" this Thursday from 12:00-5:00 P.M. MDT. During this meeting staff will work together to build kits to help support our community.

We are excited to announce our newest Mortgage Loan Officer Jennifer Kriske has joined our team!

We are excited to announce our newest Mortgage Loan Officer Brandon Short has joined our team!

We are pleased to announce that we won the Diamond Award for our " Swim or Swim" video. The Video showcases our very own Cynnomon Gordon and how hard work, perseverance, and positivity helps her best protect our members.

Our First Time Homebuyer Seminar is back! This one day only presentation is scheduled for Tuesday April 9, 2024 at 12:00pm MT. The seminar will provide invaluable information and tools to navigate the complexities of the housing market.

This past month, three Westerra leaders were fortunate to take part in opportunities presented by advocacy organizations GoWest Credit Union Association and America's Credit Unions (formerly Credit Union National Association [CUNA]).

Mark Your Calendar for the Virtual Annual Meeting on April 23, 2024 at 2:00 PM.

This free virtual seminar will provide attendees with valuable financial education, helping them make informed decisions about their finances and improve their overall financial well-being.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have announced some excited news! They now are offering a credit to eligible borrowers to assist with the down payment or closing costs for their new home.

We are proud to announce that we are entering our 10th year as a sponsor for Special Olympics Colorado's Annual plunge. This event raises money to support Special Olympic athletes so that they can participate in sports, health and other programs for free.

Please read this article to learn more about our Annual Notices and important information for Westerra Credit Union 2024.

Shop using Westerra debit and credit cards to earn rewards points for your purchases. Learn how to redeem Westerra points and where you can spend them in our latest blog.

Westerra has been selected for Newsweek's "Best Regional Credit Unions" annual list! This list honors financial institutions that support members, support local initiatives and rank high on several criteria points.

Learn how to max out debit & credit card points, including smart strategies, tracking tips, & common traps to avoid. Become a rewards pro with Westerra!

Buying your first home is a big deal, but you’re not alone. We’ve assembled a few must-have resources here, so you can go from pre-approval to move-in day with total confidence.

Most folks hear the words “down payment” and assume they need 20% cash to buy a home. While that comes in handy, you’ve got a lot of choices to make in your down payment.

Before you apply for a mortgage or pre-approval, you’ll need to round up a few documents. We’ve compiled a documentation checklist to make it easy, so nothing gets forgotten.

Consolidating your holiday spending has been made easy with our Westerra Credit Union Visa Signature or Visa Select credit cards with low introductory interest rate upon approval.

Curious about the benefits of having a good credit score? A good credit score can affect so many aspects of life like your borrowing power, housing and more!

So you’ve decided to buy a home. Congrats! Now what?

Thank you for being a loyal member! With 2023 coming to a close, we invite you to reflect on our 2023 Highlights with us.

Westerra is happy to announce that Bryan Wisher has joined the team as our newest MLO.

While the holiday season is known for generosity and giving, it's also a time for scammers to try to line their stockings with your hard-earned money and personal information. In the spirit of the season, we have compiled our "12 Days of Fraud Prevention."

Westerra proudly supports schools in the Denver Metro area through our Westerra Cares Initiative. This initiative allows us to allocate monetary awards to school staff to pay for items or programs that benefit the students and allow for academic success.

Westerra received three prestigious community impact awards in recognition of “Westerra Cares”: Dora Maxwell Community Service Award [State/Regional Level; Honorable Mention National Level] and CU Times’ Luminaries Award – Community Impact [Individual].

Westerra and our member community raised funds for the Community Foundation Boulder County Wildfire Relief Fund.

The Housing section of the New York Times highlighted the low-down-payment option offered by Westerra Credit Union. The article provides a variety of information to readers about how to secure a mortgage without a large down payment.

We are very excited to announce that Westerra has launched its 2022 School Grant Program. This program funds annually $50,000 to educators in Colorado School districts.

Westerra is implementing the 2023 loan limits early allowing homebuyers to receive better loan terms for a single family home up to $715,000.

Our Belmar branch staff was happy to have joined the celebration with the Sekulich family of Army Sgt. John Sekulich, who turned 106 years young. Click “Read More” for a link to the interview.

Westerra is happy to announce that Kevin Kiernan has joined the team as our newest MLO.

The Board of Directors of Westerra Credit Union is pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Schmidle as its President and CEO, after serving as Acting President and CEO for the past several months.

Join Westerra in welcoming the newest member of our Mortgage team! As a trusted mortgage advisor, his strong foundation of knowledge and expertise will serve him, and his customer and clients well, as he steps into his this role.

Westerra Credit Union has been honored with the prestigious Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award by the Go West Credit Union Association in recognition of our Westerra Cares community engagement initiative.

Westerra is excited to announce our 2023-2024 School Grants Program! This program can award schools or departments up to $500 allowing them funds to purchase necessary school supplies and equipment.

Westerra is excited to have Participated in A Precious Child’s “Fill a Backpack” school supply drive this 2023 - 2024 school year.

In an article featured in the Banking Business News Network, Steve Schmidle, Acting CEO for Westerra, shares how Quincy Place combines personal connection with digital-based technology and convenience. Click here to read more. 

Westerra is excited to announce our new financing program called "One- time Close Construction- to- Permanent Loan" which will streamline loan processes for new home construction or renovation projects.

Laura Morales has been approved as an official member of the Westerra Board of Directors and Bill Abbey is returning to the Audit Committee. We appreciate Laura and Bill for their dedication to Westerra and congratulate them on these new roles!

The modern space facilitates more self-serve, digital-based transactions.

This summer, you can find Team Westerra in your neighborhood! Members and community members are invited to stop by the neighborhood events and celebrations, say hello and learn about Westerra’s products and services.

The inaugural Scholarship Program provide financial assistance to high school seniors in the Denver Metro.

Jay Champion has made the decision to resign as CEO of Westerra. He leaves the credit union in a strong, well-capitalized financial position, with earnings above expectations for the year.

Ron was a tireless and diligent member of our Board and contributed to Westerra’s growth, including attending meetings and providing input on initiatives that served Westerra’s members, until his final days.

With 15 years of experience in the mortgage industry, his most recent role being at Wells Fargo, Kendall brings an approach to mortgage lending that is 100% client and customer focused.

We are excited to announce our new Quincy Place Location opening this summer. Please stay tuned for more exciting details to come.

Westerra was excited to partner Mile High United Way for a special company-wide volunteer event on April 18 in celebration of National Volunteer Week.

We recognize the news about Silicon Valley Bank & Signature Bank may cause concern. Read about the key differences between these for-profit banks and Westerra, a not for profit credit union where each individual depositor is federally insured by the NCUA.

We have been notified of fraudsters impersonating Westerra employees attempting to gain access to sensitive account information. Westerra will never request for you to provide your online account password or passcode over the phone or through text message.

The Polar Plunge is a cold-weather fundraiser aimed at raising $583,000 to provide critical funding for nearly 16,000 Special Olympics Colorado athletes. Supporting this important cause has become a cherished tradition at Westerra Credit Union.

Read our latest member newsletter for exciting updates about Westerra Credit Union.

Here is a list of common scams fraudsters use and what members should look out for during the holiday season.

Westerra is pleased to award 71 grants to local schools in the following districts: 27J, Adams 12, Aurora Public Schools, Denver Public Schools, Douglas County Schools, Englewood Public Schools, Huerfano Re-1 School District, and Jeffco School District.

Westerra Credit Union mourns for those lost in the attack at Club Q and are proud to stand alongside the LGBTQIA+ community.

Westerra Credit Union is thrilled to announce the addition of Jeff White as Director of Mortgage Development and Sales. In this role, White will leverage his deep expertise in mortgage operations, marketing, policy, and origination.

Join us April 25th, 2023 for our annual meeting. This meeting is open to all of our members and will cover topics including 2022 highlights and strategic goals for 2023. Please stay tuned for further updates.

Mario Gil, Westerra's VP of Talent Development, talks about Pride, the LGBTQI+ Community, shares Westerra's values and focus on diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

View Westerra's 2021 Annual Report

Westerra Credit Union announces their move to a hybrid work model for their employees. This recently adopted model is a part of Westerra’s strategy to enhance employee experience and align with the credit union’s priority of being ‘Digital First.’

Westerra has been busy refreshing its brand and developing new tools to help our members prosper.