Small credit unions in Florida, New York, New Hampshire,Minnesota and Hawaii have just finalized or on track to finalizemergers with larger credit unions as the new year begins.

Florida

The $47 million SCORE FCU in Tallahassee is merging into the$437 million Gulf Winds FCU in Pensacola on Jan. 1.

The merger with SCORE FCU will add more than 5,500 members andthree branches to Gulf Winds' eight branches. Post merger, GulfWinds will manage $475 million in assets and serve more than 56,000members in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla andJefferson counties in Florida and Escambia County in Alabama.

“The Gulf Winds team is excited and motivated to serve the SCOREFCU members and the Tallahassee area,” said Chris Rutledge,president/CEO of Gulf Winds. “We are already working hard with theSCORE FCU team in preparation to offer our market-leading savingsand loan rates. As we plan for the future, our goal is to find wayswe can expand our footprint within the communities we serve andbeyond.”

New York

The $8 million Niagara Mohawk Power Mohawk Division FCU inGloversville, N.Y. will merge into the $69 million Fulton CountyFCU in Gloversville, northwest of Albany, by Dec. 28, according toa report posted on LeaderHerald.com, a local newspapersite.

The newspaper reported a majority of the 614 members of MohawkPower Mohawk Division FCU recently voted to approve the merger.

Post merger, Fulton County FCU will have $77 million in assetsand serve 11,600 members.

New Hampshire

The $111 million Woodlands CU in Berlin, N.H. will merge intothe $731 million NortheastCredit Union in Portsmouth, N.H. by Jan. 1.

Members of the Woodlands Credit Union voted in October toapprove the merger. Regulatory approvals also have beensecured.

Post merger, Northeast CU will manage more than $800 million inassets and serve over 90,000 members through 15 branches in NewHampshire's Great North Woods, the Seacoast as well as theDartmouth and Merrimack Valley regions.

Minnesota

On Dec. 1, the $1.2 million Ashby Federal Credit Union in Ashbymerged into the $240 million Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union inBaxter, northwest of Minneapolis

“The Board of Directors from the Ashby Federal Credit Unionapproached us to merge their credit union into MMFCU due to thedifficulty of being able to offer the services their members wererequesting and the increasing compliance burden,” said MMFCUPresident/CEO Chuck Albrecht.

In November, the Ashby Federal Credit Union Board of Directorsand 500 members voted to approve the merger.

Hawaii

On Dec. 2, the $3 million Kapalama Pacific Federal Credit inHonolulu merged into the $153 million Hawaii Central Federal CreditUnion in Honolulu

The merger increases Hawaii Central FCU's assets to more than$157 million and its total membership to over 13,000.