Project Differentiation

BEAR PAW CREDIT UNION

Bear Paw Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution, where our sole purpose is service to our members. "We belong to you," is not just an advertising slogan, but the way we conduct business. We will continue to actively serve our members with the most comprehensive offering of products and services. Our field of membership, which includes employees of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, their families and those residents in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau, Phillips and Toole counties, will remain our top priority. They are a diverse group of people who come from varying economic and social backgrounds. With this in mind, we will continue to look for new ways to better serve our current members and those potential members in our area.

We will communicate our service to members in a meaningful way so that members, potential members, legislators, regulators and the community at large will understand and appreciate the unique role that locally owned, not-for-profit, financial cooperatives play in their lives.

Throughout Bear Paw Credit Union's business plan, we will emphasize programs that enable our members to become financially self-sufficient and successful. We will place high importance on consumer education and the teaching of financial thrift.

This Statement of Commitment to Members is consistent with our credit union principles of "Not-for-Profit, Not for Charity, But for Service" and our philosophy of "People Helping People," and "We Belong To You." This statement represents good business practices that ensure the financial strength of our credit union on behalf of our members.

Section I: Service to Members

The following programs are designed to improve the economic and social well being of members and return financial value to our members and potential members.

Current or Existing Services:

  1. Credit Unions for Kids(r) - Youth membership club targeted at children ages 0-16. Membership in the program promotes savings and good money management for our youth. The program encourages savings by rewarding those efforts.
  2. Credit Unions for Kids(r) Investment Club - Targets youth members ages 0-16. With an investment into a one year Term Share Certificate, the youth member is entitled to not only interest on the certificate, but points with which to obtain prizes on display in all office lobbies. The program encourages saving by rewarding their efforts.
  3. Free Checking Account - This account requires no minimum balance and allows members to write unlimited checks without service fees. It is our most popular checking account.
  4. Interest Bearing Checking Account - This account allows our members to earn interest on the money in their checking account. This is a nice option for those members who maintain a higher account balance.
  5. Instant Cash & Check Card(r) - Our newest program provides our members with either an ATM card, a debit card, or both. There is no fee for this service. This program allows our members access to their money at locations throughout the United States and the world.
  6. On-Line Banking - Account access 24 hours a day via the Internet. Access is gained through our home page at www.bearpawcu.org on the world wide web.
  7. Call 24 Voice Response System - Account access 24 hours a day via a telephone. Access is gained by dialing a toll-free number.
  8. Home & Family Finance On Line - This program was introduced to our members in August of 1999. Frequently updated articles ranging from mortgages to smart investing are available to those members and potential members who visit our web site.
  9. Term Share Certificates/IRAs - We continue to offer some of the most competitive rates around. Our certificates' terms are from three months to twenty-four months which allows our members several options when choosing the length of their investment.
  10. In House VISA(r) program - This program offers our members the flexibility of a VISA with a low interest rate and no annual fee. The card offers the same convenience as other programs without all the hidden charges.
  11. Signature Loans - Loans are secured by the borrower's signature. These loans are a feasible alternative for those members who are unable to provide collateral for the loan.
  12. Student Loan Program - Stafford Loans are privately funded by our credit union and insured against default by the Federal Government. These loans vary in amount and eligibility based on financial need. All student loans are serviced by the Montana Higher Education Student Assistance Corp (MHESAC).
  13. Loans-By-Phone(r) - This program allows members to get approval on car loans even when the credit union is closed. This service makes doing business with the credit union even more convenient.
  14. Christmas Cash - Christmas loans are made on a ten month, no interest basis to qualified members. This allows members to borrow money (script money that can only be used at participating merchants) for the holidays and spread the payments out over a longer period of time. This is the most popular loan promotion of the year and promotes the idea of shopping locally.
  15. Branch Offices - Bear Paw Credit Union has made a commitment to the people of Northcentral Montana by placing facilities in the communities of Chester, Chinook and Sunburst. A branch office is also being constructed for service to the community of Shelby. The scheduled opening date for the Shelby branch is November 2000. The services listed above are not only available in our main office, but in all our branch offices. We will continue to make all our services available to those members in our rural communities.

Section II: Member Education

Bear Paw Credit Union is committed to member education and social responsibility, including providing financial education to members and potential members to enhance their lives as well as promote credit union uniqueness, philosophy and values.

Current or Existing Programs:

  1. Investment Seminars - Each year BPCU sponsors investment seminars to assist our members and potential members in planning for the future.
  2. Web Site - Bear Paw Credit Union's web site contains valuable consumer information through our Home & Family Finance On Line articles and provides valuable links to auto price guides, financial calculators, etc.
  3. Credit Union Magazine - Twice a year a magazine style publication is distributed to our membership which contains valuable education for members related to credit union uniqueness and philosophy, important Y2K issues, member interest articles and other timely topics. We are committed to more educational formatting and less advertising of products and services.
  4. High School Seminars - On occasion, our credit union is invited into local high schools to conduct sessions related to how to handle a checking account and how to establish a budget.
  5. Employee Orientation - Bear Paw Credit Union provides a comprehensive employee orientation that emphasizes the uniqueness of credit unions compared to other types of financial service providers.
  6. STAR Program - The Staff Training and Recognition Program is available to all employees. This program gives the staff additional information on the history, philosophy and evolution of the credit union movement. It also teaches employees about various positions and their functions within the credit union.

Section III: Involvement/Governance

Bear Paw Credit Union will endeavor to preserve the credit union democratic principles, including demographic representation and volunteer participation in the organization.

Current or Existing Programs:

  1. Board Elections - All board members are voted in at our Annual Meeting which is held each March.
  2. Board Nominations - Each year Bear Paw Credit Union has three seats available for election. In a typical year, between 3-4 members will place their names for nomination. Statement messages, a direct mailing and lobby signs are used to encourage nominations.
  3. Board Vacancies - When the situation arises where a board member resigns during his/her term, the board has a practice of reviewing the past election to determine who received the most votes but was not elected. We also look at our volunteers currently serving on various credit union committees. This way, the members' collective voice helps to determine the replacement.

Section IV: Diversity

Bear Paw Credit Union will operate as a democratically controlled, member-owned cooperative by focusing management, staff, and volunteers on diversity in the leadership and staff of the credit union.

Current or Existing Programs:

  1. Equal Employment Opportunity - Bear Paw Credit Union actively seeks to fill vacancies by hiring qualified candidates without regard to race, creed, religion, or socioeconomic status, seeking to represent the community in which we operate.

Section V: Commitment to the Credit Union Movement

Bear Paw Credit Union will work to build and strengthen a unique credit union movement by providing financial and in-kind resources throughout the credit union community, and by actively advocating the credit union difference at all levels of government and in other appropriate public forums.

Current or Existing Programs:

  1. Leadership Roles - Bear Paw Credit Union's staff members serve on various boards and committees for both credit union related and community oriented organizations: ALCO Committee/TSCCU, Montana Credit Union League-Director, Soroptimist International, 4-H, School-to-Career Committee, Jaycees, Boys Scouts, Eagles Auxiliary, Montana Council of Co-ops, Cooperative Development Council and the Hi-Line Chapter of Credit Unions.
  2. Continuing Education for Staff - BPCU helps pay for post-high school education so that employees may further their careers in the credit union movement.
  3. School-to-Career Internship - Each year, a student from Havre High School joins the BPCU Main Office staff in an internship focused on teaching high school students about the challenges that lie ahead out in the work force. A big part of this internship revolves around the teaching of the credit union philosophy.

Section VI: Public Service/Corporate Citizenship

Bear Paw Credit Union will strive to be an active partner in the community and field of membership that will enhance both their economic and social well being. Each year the credit union budgets dollars to an account called Social Responsibility. Those funds are used to support many organizations in our community, including but not limited to:

Current or Existing Programs:

  1. Montana Special Olympics
  2. United Way Campaign
  3. American Red Cross
  4. Children's Miracle Network/Shodair Hospital
  5. American Diabetes Association
  6. Montana/Havre Food Banks
  7. Havre Youth Sports
  8. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
  9. Community Development Programs: Chester, Chinook, Havre, Sunburst
  10. Salvation Army
  11. American Cancer Society

Bear Paw Credit Union also practices good corporate citizenship by:

  1. Advertising community events on our large electronic reader board located on US Highway 2 in Havre.
  2. Every year the staff participates in local area cleanups designed to beautify and encourage pride in the community. In the past, BPCU has won awards for our contribution in this area.
  3. The Adopt-A-Highway Program has been BPCU's main community service project. We have adopted a two-mile stretch of US Highway 2 located between our Havre and Chinook offices.
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