LONGVIEW, Wash. — Effective Jan. 1, 2007, WeyerhaeuserEmployees' Credit Union will sport a new moniker.

The $390 million credit union will change its name to Red CanoeCredit Union. The name change process began in early 2006 whenWeyerhaeuser Company asked the credit union to discontinue usingthe word “Weyerhaeuser” in its name. Weyerhaeuser Company requestedthis change to more accurately reflect that the credit union is notdirectly affiliated with, nor a subsidiary of, the company, the CUsaid. The Red Canoe name resulted from a three-month naming processthat involved research from members, communities and staff. In theend, the Red Canoe name was selected because of its “uniqueNorthwest flavor and progressive style,” the CU said. “It reflectsour credit union's passion for serving our members. It is alsohighly distinctive in the financial services industry,” said RobertKane, president/CEO, in a letter to members. In 2002, WECU addedmembership eligibility to include everyone who lives, works, orworships in the state of Washington and select employee groups in atri-county area in Oregon. The credit union serves more than 49,000members.

“While our relationship with Weyerhaeuser employees and theirfamilies will remain the same, today we have grown to serve a widerrange of members,” Kane said. “It is therefore appropriate that ourcredit union's name better reflect the organization we've become.”Separately, on Aug. 23, Weyerhaeuser Co., the county's largestemployer, agreed to merge with Canada-based Domtar, Inc. in a dealvalued at nearly $3.3 billion.