Kids Kicking Cancer named Hometown Charity Giveaway winner

Ferndale, Michigan – Kids Kicking Cancer was named the winner of Credit Union ONE’s fourth annual Hometown Charity Giveaway on December 1, 2015. The group was selected by the credit union’s Facebook fans to receive a $3,000 donation.

                                     

The Hometown Charity Giveaway recognizes local organizations that give back to the community. Each of Credit Union ONE’s twenty branches nominated a nonprofit that they felt demonstrated the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.” From there, voting was open on the Credit Union ONE Facebook page from November 9 - 27.

Holly Cudney (far right), St. Joseph Mercy Financial
branch manager,presents a check to Kids Kicking Cancer, 
Credit Union ONE's 2015 Hometown Charity Giveaway 
winner, during a recent class at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital. 

Kids Kicking Cancer was nominated in the Hometown Charity Giveaway by the credit union’s St. Joseph Mercy Financial branch, located within St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac.

“Our branch nominated Kids Kicking Cancer because of the energy and inspiration they bring to the community,” said Holly Cudney, St. Joseph Mercy Financial branch manager, “They help empower kids and their families to find the light in every situation and truly give back in a meaningful way.”

Headquartered in Southfield, Kids Kicking Cancer uses martial arts therapy to help children fighting cancer and other serious illnesses by empowering them and providing a sense of power, peace and purpose. The group teaches martial arts, breathing techniques and meditation to help children heal physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Classes are offered free-of-charge at hospitals and health centers throughout Metro Detroit, including Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Beaumont Children’s Hospital, Karmanos Cancer Center, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, and the McLaren Macomb Medical Center.

"Kids Kicking Cancer is so honored to be named the winner of the Hometown Charity Giveaway. We are grateful to the St. Joseph Mercy Financial branch for nominating us and thankful for all the supporters who voted," said Cindy Cohen, Kids Kicking Cancer Program Director. "This money will be used to further the mission of Kids Kicking Cancer by supporting our program and the children and families we serve.  Thank you Credit Union ONE for your dedication to the non-profit organizations in your community."

$3,000 to be given to local charity in annual Hometown Charity Giveaway

In keeping with the credit union philosophy of “people helping people,” Credit Union ONE will host its third annual Hometown Charity Giveaway.  Voting will take place on Facebook from November 9 – 27, 2015 and one local charity will win a $3,000 donation.

Anyone who “likes” the Credit Union ONE Facebook page is eligible to vote.

The annual Facebook promotion recognizes local organizations and celebrates those who give back. Each of the credit union’s branches – located throughout Metro Detroit and in Grand Rapids and Traverse City – nominated an organization that supports the community they serve.

Ranging from human services and research groups to community enrichment and animal welfare organizations, the nominated charities all share a commitment to helping others.

A complete list of the nominated charities, along with more information about their work, can be found online at cuone.org/hometown. 

Coming soon: Credit Union ONE Pays Your Way Sweepstakes

The third annual Credit Union ONE Pays Your Way Sweepstakes will be hosted on the company’s Facebook page from September 14 - 28, 2015.  

During this fan-favorite sweepstakes, fans who “like” Credit Union ONE’s Facebook page and complete an entry form will have the chance to win one of 13 gift cards. Winners will be selected randomly.

The sweepstakes enables Credit Union ONE to reward its fans simply for liking the page by “paying their way” and helping with the cost of everyday expenses. Gift cards will range in value from $20 - $100 and can be redeemed at either Meijer, Kroger, or Starbucks locations.  

Like us on Facebook and watch for the Credit Union ONE Pays Your Way Sweepstakes coming soon! 

Facebook Fans Enjoy Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway

Ferndale, Michigan – Credit Union ONE recently held their annual Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway for their Facebook fans. 

“Random Acts of Kindness” was a promotion for fans of Credit Union ONE to randomly be selected to win one of ten gift cards ranging in value from $15 to $100. The promotion began on March 2nd and ran through March 13th, with two drawings being held during that time.

“Engaging fans on our site and giving fans an opportunity to win something totally random were the goals for the promotion this year,” said Neetu Singh, Vice President of Marketing for Credit Union ONE. “This has been a successful promotion over the past three years.  Our fans truly appreciate the giving spirit of Credit Union ONE, which provides goodwill to the organization.”

Marketing initiatives included email, in-branch, website and Facebook promotions.

 Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 120,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook.

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Credit Union ONE recognizes hometown charity giveaway winners

 

 

(L To R) Michelle Kilinski-Credit Union ONE Assistant Branch Mgr., Angela

Wilgenhof and Laurie Borysiak-Board Members of Horse North Rescue, and

Tamara DePonio-Credit Union ONE Branch Manager

(L to R) Brad McKenna of Leader Dogs for the Blind receives a check from Judi

Desilets-Credit Union ONE Public Relations Director and Katie Williams-Credit

Union ONE Integrated Marketing Specialist.



(L to R) Chris Wisswell of the Michigan Animal Adoption Network receives check from

Katie Williams-Credit Union ONE Integrated Marketing Specialist.

 

 

Ferndale, Michigan – Credit Union ONE Facebook fans were recently given the opportunity to choose their favorite local charity to win a $500 prize. 

To engage their fans and connect with the communities they serve, Credit Union ONE held a Hometown Charity Giveaway on their Facebook page.  From December 8^th-19^th fans had the opportunity to vote for one of sixty-three local charities or write in an organization of their choice. The three charities with the most votes were declared winners and will each receive $500. 

Congratulations to Horse North Rescue located in Grand Traverse County, Leader Dogs for the Blind of Rochester, and the Michigan Animal Adoption Network of Metropolitan Detroit. 

Angela Wilgenhof, board member for Horse North Rescue said, "Horse North Rescue would like to thank Credit Union ONE for giving us the opportunity to benefit from the Hometown Charity Giveaway. We are a 100% volunteer run rescue, therefor any money we receive goes to care for the horses. We work with local law enforcement agencies and horse owners to help at risk horses, as well as those who have been abused or neglected. We often get very thin horses who require a lengthy and costly rehabilitation. The $500 we are receiving from Credit Union ONE will help us to continue to pursue our mission. Together we do make a difference".  

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 110,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Coming soon...Credit Union ONE "Pays Your Way"

Ferndale, Michigan – Credit Union ONE has announced that they will be bringing back the Credit Union ONE Pays Your Way Sweepstakes, which will be held on their Facebook site from August 18-29, 2014.  

The sweepstakes has been such a fan favorite in the past that in an effort to show appreciation for their Facebook fans and to engage them, Credit Union ONE decided to run the promotion again.   

During the Sweepstakes period fans who “like” Credit Union ONE’s Facebook page will receive an entry form that once completed will enter them into the sweepstakes.  Existing fans will also have the opportunity to complete an entry form and enter to win. 

There will be two drawings during this sweepstakes – with four winners randomly selected on the first drawing and eight winners selected on the second drawing, for a total of twelve winners. Winners will receive gift cards to Starbucks, Kroger, and Meijer stores, simply just for being a fan and entering the drawing! 

Winning fans will be encouraged to post a photo of them using their gift card.  Also, an online photo album for the promotion will be created to house the photos for display, in an effort to showcase the winners and highlighting themselves as fans.  

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 113,000 members, with seventeen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to http://www.cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Random Acts of Kindness appreciated by Credit Union ONE

Ferndale, Michigan – After realizing great success in the past two years, Credit Union ONE brought back their Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway for their Facebook fans. 

“Random Acts of Kindness” was a promotion for fans of Credit Union ONE to randomly be selected to win one of eleven gift cards ranging in value from $15 to $100. The promotion began on March 3^rd and ran through March 17^th, with three drawings being held during that time.

“Engaging fans on our site, increasing our overall fan base, and giving fans an opportunity to win something totally random were the goals for this promotion,” said Swami Seetharaman, Chief Marketing Officer of Credit Union ONE. “The past two years this promotion has been successful, but this year we were delighted to see an increase of 1,293 fans in just two weeks.  Our fans truly appreciate the giving spirit of Credit Union ONE, which provides goodwill to the organization.”

Marketing initiatives included email, in-branch, website and Facebook promotions.

Overall an increase of 1,293 Facebook fans to the site was realized, “likes” increased by 777, and fans commented over 134 times during the promotion.  The Credit Union ONE Facebook site now has over 8,000 total fans.

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 110,000 members, with seventeen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook.

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

A Credit Union ONE member will win diamonds!

Ferndale, Michigan – Starting today and running through Friday, October 18, 2013 Credit Union ONE members will have the chance to win big during the Credit Union ONE Facebook Member Appreciation Giveaway!

Celebrating their Members for the 75^th Anniversary of Credit Union ONE, members and potential members can obtain a scratch card from any Credit Union ONE branch location which could make them an instant winner of a gift card ranging in value from $5 to $100; and if not an instant winner entries will be entered into the grand prize drawing for a Diamond Bracelet!

Visit the Credit Union ONE Facebook site for more details or stop by any branch location and join in the celebration today!

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 107,000 members, with seventeen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook.

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Credit Union ONE’s Pin to Win Contest

Credit Union ONE Pinterest Grand Prize Winners
Receive their Mackinac Trip Packages.
(Top) Stacy Davis with Grand Rapids Asst.
Branch Manager Kim  Lintemuth,and (Bottom)
Grand Rapids Branch Manager Sharon Blower
with Janna Smith. 

Ferndale, Michigan – In an effort to provide exposure to their new Pinterest page and to continue the celebration of their 75^th Anniversary, Credit Union ONE held a contest July 15-26, 2013 asking members to pin photos of great relationships in their lives along with a caption of what 75 years means to them. 

Entries were judged and two very lucky winners Stacy Davis and Janna Smith each received a Grand Prize weekend all expenses paid trip to Mackinac Island, while two runners-up received $100 gift cards and another four earned $75 gift cards. 

Supporting the contest with Facebook posts, an email blast, and in-branch marketing efforts the credit union ended up with 429 pins and 58 individuals following them.

“The exposure to this new social media platform is what we were going for, so we are pleased with how it turned out,” said Andrea Pertile, Social Media Marketing Manager.  “This is another channel that we can interact with our members and future members on and we are happy to have launched our site and look forward to its’ continued growth.”

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 107,000 members, with seventeen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook.

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Credit Union ONE announces hometown winners

(L to R) Hometown Charity Giveaway Winners Janice Morgan of Judson

Center, Cindy Cohen of Kids Kicking Cancer, and Maggie Varney of Wigs 

4 Kids receive their $500 donation checks from Andrea Pertile, Manager of 

Social Media for Credit Union ONE 

Ferndale, Michigan – What does “Hometown” mean to you?

Well in the world of credit unions, it means community. To Credit Union ONE, it means being dedicated to giving back to the communities in which they serve, which is why three local Michigan charities each just received a $500 donation.

In honor of their 75th Anniversary, Credit Union ONE held a Hometown Charity Giveaway on their Facebook page, where fans voted between the dates of May 8th and June 7th for one of ten local charities and also a write-in option, with the top vote getters being declared the winners. Those new to the Facebook site were able to “like” Credit Union ONE to become eligible to vote, and even those who are not Facebook users were able to vote at their favorite Credit Union ONE branch. Besides all the votes received for the ten charities, there were over sixty write-in entries which will be considered for upcoming contests next year

.

Congratulations to the Judson Center of Royal Oak, Wigs 4 Kids Wellness Center and Salon in St. Clair Shores, and Kids Kicking Cancer of Detroit for on winning the contest!!!

“Over the past 75 years Credit Union ONE has built our business around giving back to our community and we know that these deserving agencies will put these funds to very good use,” said Andrea Pertile, Credit Union ONE Manager of Social Media.

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

OU Women’s Basketball Team Scores with Credit Union ONE

Oakland University Women's Basketball Coach Anne Hafeli

receives $375 check from Kevin Trembath, Branch Manager

of Credit Union ONE Oakland University Branch

Ferndale, Michigan – The Oakland University (OU) sports teams were recently involved in a Varsity Sports Smackdown, and the results are in: The OU Women’s Basketball Team has taken the honors!!

Geared as a way to engage with Oakland University students, the “Smackdown” was used to generate awareness of Credit Union ONE as the university credit union of choice and to connect with student groups and give them the opportunity to earn funds for their organization.

During the month of March, members and friends had the opportunity to vote for their favorite Oakland University Varsity Sports team by liking the Credit Union ONE Campus Branch page on Facebook and voting for their favorite team on the page, with the winning team receiving a cash prize. Anyone opening an account at the Credit Union ONE Campus Branch could also receive an additional 100 votes for the team of their choice. Teams were encouraged to spread the word to their families and friends to boost their vote total. The votes were tallied and the team with the most votes was declared the winner, receiving a check from Credit Union ONE for $375.00. 

Anne Hafeli, OU Women’s Basketball Coach said, “We thank Credit Union ONE for their donation to the Oakland University Women's Basketball Program.”

When asked about the sweepstakes, Kevin Trembath, Branch Manager of Credit Union ONE Oakland University Branch said, “This sweepstakes was a win-win for everyone.” “For Credit Union ONE, it engaged the current fans of the Credit Union ONE OU Facebook page and it also gave more visibility to our OU Campus Branch. For our student members, we were able to give back to them and show them that their causes are important to Credit Union ONE.”

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Knowing CU History Pays!

Ferndale, Michigan – Credit Union ONE has found a very creative way to engage their Facebook fans and take the opportunity to celebrate their 75th Anniversary at the same time.

As they kicked off their 75th Year, Credit Union ONE launched the Mystery History Hunt. From February 25th through March 15th fans of the Credit Union ONE Facebook page were able to hunt for answers to posted clues relating to the 75 year history of the credit union. Clues were posted three times a week, and those who successfully submitted their answers were entered into a drawing for gift cards, valued at up to $60 each. One winner was selected for each clue, for a total of nine possible winners

Some of the winners posted how happy they were to be chosen as winners and how they planned to use their gift cards.

Post statistics show that this promotion was well received, with 115 new fans joining and 142 entries received. Three fans even submitted answers to all nine clues!

Congratulations to all the Mystery History Winners, and thanks for being our Facebook Fans!

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for seventy-five years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 30,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook . New Contest beginning on April 1st, so join us, you could be the next winner!

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Credit Union ONE CEO Hosts “The ONE to Ask”

Ferndale, Michigan – Just over a year ago, in response to what their members were asking for, Credit Union ONE launched The ONE to Ask, a Facebook online chat for members to post questions and receive answers from subject experts – all in real time!

The “live sessions” have been held quarterly since June of 2011 for a two hour period in order to accommodate the number of questions received, with previous sessions including discussions on debt, new products, mortgage lending and auto loans. The session most recently held was hosted by the credit union’s President/CEO Gary Moody answering general Credit Union ONE informational inquiries.

An e-mail blast is sent to Credit Union ONE members and Facebook posts are issued to let fans know in advance that a session has been scheduled, and encouraging them to participate. The last session held on October 17th, showed new likes spiked by fifteen, directly attributable to the e-mail blast sent right before the session. Approximately ten questions were received during the session, with many fans posting to each other. The majority of questions fielded related to mobile apps, with fans thrilled to hear that the credit union plans to have one up and running in 2013.

Analytics have shown steady growth in popularity as the series has continued; not only have more fans been added, but the number of questions received each session has increased, and fans are interacting with each other regarding the questions that have been asked.

Katie Cummings, Senior Education Specialist, who also serves as social media point person with Credit Union ONE’s Marketing partner, Berline said, “We are pleased to see the continued participation and interest in this on-going event. This is a great opportunity for us to connect with our members and for them to have direct access to leaders within our organization.”

For those interested in learning more about the questions and answers of past sessions, readers are encouraged to check out the notes tab on the Credit Union ONE Facebook page, and stay tuned to the page for an announcement of the next session.

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

It “Pays” to be a member of Credit Union ONE

Ferndale, Michigan – These days when everyone is trying to save and cut corners, it “Pays” to be a Credit Union ONE member.

In an effort to show appreciation for their Facebook fans and to engage them, Credit Union ONE recently launched a new Facebook contest, the Credit Union ONE Pays Your Way Sweepstakes.

The Sweepstakes paid off for 30 lucky fans of Credit Union ONE.

During the Sweepstakes period (August 13-September 24, 2012) fans who “liked” Credit Union ONE’s Facebook page received an entry form that once completed would enter them into the sweepstakes. Existing fans also had the opportunity to complete an entry form and enter to win.

There were seven drawings during this sweepstakes – five winners were randomly selected on each of the first two dates, and four winners were drawn on each of the remaining five dates. Winners received gift cards to Starbucks, Kroger, and Meijer stores, simply just for being a fan and entering the drawing!!

Winning fans were encouraged to post a photo of them using their gift card. An online photo album for the promotion was created to house the photos for display, in an effort to showcase the winners and highlighting them as fans.

Supporting analytics showed the promotion brought in 1,547 new fans to the page, with 11% of our fan base entering into the Sweepstakes, which is at the high end for reach of national brand pages.

According to Katie Cummings, Senior Education Specialist, and Credit Union ONE social media point person, “This promotion brought more comments and postings to our Facebook page than in any other promotion. We were very excited to see members of Credit Union ONE sharing their stories and interacting with the page.”

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Oakland University Students Hunt for Credit Union Loot



OU Student Casey Curnette receives $250 check for

first place in Scavenger Hunt from Credit Union ONE

OU Branch Manager Kevin Trembath

 Ferndale, Michigan – Looking for Loot, yes, that’s what Oakland University students were doing when they joined in the Welcome Week Scavenger Hunt that was put on by Credit Union ONE via their Facebook page.

The Scavenger Hunt ran during Welcome Week, September 4-7 which was the first week of classes for Oakland University (OU) students.

Geared as a way to engage with OU students, the Hunt was used to generate awareness of Credit Union ONE as the university credit union of choice and to connect with students as the school year begins.

An avatar was created for the Scavenger Hunt, and during Welcome Week the look-a-like character walked around campus and handed out buck slips promoting the Hunt to students.

Students had the chance to participate by “liking” the Credit Union ONE OU Facebook page. On designated days, once an hour, the credit union posted a clue on their OU Facebook page directing students to various locations on campus where a flyer was posted with a prize code. The first three students each day to email in with the code won $250 cash, $100 cash, and $50 cash respectively. Those emailing in after the daily prizes were also awarded having the opportunity to win gift cards by opening a checking account and debit card with the credit union.

Analytics after the promotion concluded showed that the Scavenger Hunt was successful in what it set out to do. Approximately 110 new fans were gained, as well as over 30 “likes” and many comments regarding the Scavenger Hunt and Credit Union ONE in general.

The Scavenger Hunt was the perfect opportunity to welcome new and returning OU students, as well as to engage them in our social media efforts, said Kevin Trembath, Credit Union ONE OU Branch Manager. We are committed to the OU community and look forward to a successful year.”

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

“The ONE to Ask” Turns One Year Old

Ferndale, Michigan – When individuals have questions on financial topics they need someone to ask. This is where Credit Union ONE comes in.

In response to what their members were asking for, last year Credit Union ONE launched The ONE to Ask, a Facebook online chat for members to post questions and get them answered by subject experts.

As the series continued to grow and Credit Union ONE saw a larger fan base, they expanded their “live sessions” to two hours in order to accommodate the number of questions received.

Held quarterly, the credit union has hosted four The ONE to Ask sessions to date. The series began with the credit union’s President/CEO Gary Moody addressing general Credit Union ONE informational issues, and continued with sessions on debt, new products, mortgage lending and auto loans.

Analytics have shown steady growth in popularity as the series has continued; not only have more fans been added, but the number of questions received each session has increased, and fans are interacting with each other regarding the questions that have been asked.

Facebook posts leading up to the event share the event date and time as well as sample questions on the topic for that quarter, and an e-mail blast is sent to Credit Union ONE members to let them know in advance that a session has been scheduled, encouraging them to participate. The last session, which was held on June 6th, showed new “likes” spiked by eighteen fans, directly attributable to the e-mail blast sent two days before the session. Also notable was eight questions received during the session, and many fans posting to each other during the session.

“When we started The ONE to Ask, we didn’t quite know what to expect,” said Katie Cummings, Senior Education Specialist, who also serves as social media point person with Credit Union ONE’s Marketing partner, Berline. “It is a great opportunity for us to connect with members and for them to have direct access to leaders within our organization. We are pleased that this channel is starting to take hold for Credit Union ONE, and are excited to see continued interest and participation in these events.”

For those interested in learning more about the questions and answers of past sessions, readers are encouraged to check out the notes tab on the Credit Union ONE Facebook page, and stay tuned to the page for an announcement of the next session.

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Credit Union ONE Fan Base Sees Rapid Gains – Why?

Ferndale, Michigan – When Credit Union ONE looked at their Facebook analytics today, they were simply amazed that their Facebook fans had almost quadrupled in less than a week from 459 to 1,854 fans!

This phenomenal growth is being attributed to a new Facebook promotion launched just four days ago, which was designed to increase the number of engaged fans on the site, and to contribute to a positive brand image.

“Random Act of Kindness” is a promotion for fans of Credit Union ONE to randomly be selected to win a gift card ranging in value from $5 up to $50. The promotion began on February 27th and will run through March 30th. Each week during the promotion, fans will be randomly selected to win gift cards, for a grand total of 17 winners over the five week promotion.

Current fans were encouraged to enter into the “Random Acts” drawing, while members of Credit Union ONE received an email asking them to “Like” us on Facebook and enter into the drawing.

According to Swami Seetharaman, Chief Marketing Officer of Credit Union ONE, “We were pleasantly surprised at the overwhelming response from both our current and new fans over this short of a time period. From the significant number of “Likes” and the many positive comments that have been received, this is proof to us that this channel works, and messaging is key. ”

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to http://www.cuone.org/ or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

Credit Union ONE warmed by great enthusiasm



Credit Union ONE walkers joined with close to 1,100 other
walkers to assist those with heat-related emergencies



Ferndale, Michigan – A team of approximately 32 Credit Union ONE staff and family members walked this year in the 22nd Annual Walk for Warmth which was held on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills.

The Walk for Warmth is an annual event that raises funds and promotes awareness of the emergency needs of low-income people. All funds raised benefit those who face heat-related emergencies during Michigan’s harsh winters.

This was a milestone for Credit Union ONE, participating in the event for the last five years.

“We are extremely pleased that our team of walkers has grown so much over the past year,” said John Kozich, Executive Director of Community Relations for Credit Union ONE. Our staff is very enthusiastic about this very worthwhile cause and looks forward to participating each year.

Collectively, Credit Union ONE contributed over $600 to the Walk for Warmth, which included walker pledges and a corporate donation made on behalf of everyone that walked.

In 2011, over 524 families and 778 individuals were assisted by the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) with funds from Walk for Warmth, and the need is even greater this year. As always, 100 percent of all proceeds go back into the community.

Although the final numbers have not been received by OLHSA yet for this event, over $84,000 has already been collected, with more coming in daily.

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to http://www.cuone.org/ or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

"The ONE to Ask: Lending" presented by Credit Union ONE

Ferndale, Michigan – When individuals have questions on financial topics they need someone to ask. This is where Credit Union ONE comes in.

In response to what their members were asking for, last year Credit Union ONE launched The ONE to Ask, a Facebook online chat for members to post questions and get them answered by subject experts during a one-hour live session. As the series has continued to grow and Credit Union ONE is seeing a larger fan base, they have expanded their “live sessions” to two hours in order to accommodate the number of questions received.

In 2012, they are continuing with this program, as indicators are showing the event to be gaining popularity with the next session tentatively planned for sometime in the spring.

Just this week, the third event of The ONE to Ask was hosted by Darlene Stuart, Vice President of Lending Operations for Credit Union ONE, and Laura Hoag, Director of Real Estate Lending for Credit Union ONE. Stuart and Hoag shared notes on a variety of lending and mortgage topics with fans of the page, from how to improve your credit score, to some of the best options for debt consolidation and mortgage refinancing.

According to Stuart and Hoag, both appreciated the opportunity to speak with the members online and to give them assistance with some of the things they might be experiencing. Whether members have a situation that they need help with, or are just looking for general information Credit Union ONE is happy to share some tips and direction for their particular need.

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to http://www.cuone.org/ or "like us" on Facebook

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org

"The ONE to Ask: Debt" presented by Credit Union ONE

Ferndale, Michigan – With events occurring every day that can sometimes be life-changing, it is important to have somewhere to go when you have questions on financial topics. This is where Credit Union ONE comes in.

Earlier this year, Credit Union ONE launched The ONE to Ask, a Facebook online chat for members to post questions and get them answered by a subject expert during a one-hour live session.

Most recently, the second event of The ONE to Ask was hosted by Stephen Grech, Executive Vice President of Credit Union ONE. Mr. Grech fielded questions from listeners on the topic of debt. General areas of discussion included how to build or rebuild credit, what types of debt to pay first, and what to do if you cannot fully pay your debt.

According to Mr. Grech, “It’s always great to hear directly from real life members and non-members who are facing the realities and challenges presented by the economic and housing market that we all live and work in. It’s rewarding to help others by sharing industry knowledge on these real life issues.”

As the series continues, the number of questions is increasing and Credit Union ONE looks forward to growing the participation rate with future sessions. With the fan base growing, it is expected that the “live sessions” may need to be extended beyond one hour in order to accommodate the number of questions received. The next session is expected near year end.

Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with nineteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to http://www.cuone.org/, or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CreditUnionONE

Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org