With two Minnesota mergers still underway, Wings Financial Credit Union has its radar set on expanding its field of membership to the Puget Sound area in Washington.
The $3.2 billion CU in Apple Valley, Minn., said the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions recently approved its request to open up membership to the western regions of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties along with all of Kitsap County and Island County and parts of Mason, Gray's Harbor, Thurston, Jefferson, Clallam and Skagit counties.
Wings Financial currently operates a full-service credit union branch in Seatac, which is located near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
"Wings Financial has been privileged to serve Puget Sound for 40 years," said Paul Parish, president/CEO of Wings Financial. "We have members as far south as Olympia and north to Mount Vernon. With our expanded field of membership we hope to attract more members looking for a great financial partner."
Over the summer, Wings Financial announced plans to merge with the $450 million City-County Federal Credit Union in Brooklyn Center, Minn. In June, the cooperative said it had entered into a merger agreement with the $41 million Highgrove Community Federal Credit Union in St. Paul, Minn.
Wings Financial has partnered with several trade groups and airlines over the past few years including JetBlue Airways and AirTran Airways. More membership opportunities may open up after Southwest Airlines and AirTran announced plans Sept. 27 to merge their operations. Meanwhile, the CU was approved for a trade, industry and profession charter in 2004 to serve the air transportation industry. In 2009, it converted to a state charter to include 11 counties in Minnesota and two in Wisconsin.
--msamaad@cutimes.com
