If you click onto the EvansvilleTeachers Federal Credit Union website and check the list ofeligible organizations, you'll find yourself scrolling through morethan 1,200 SEGs.

In fact, the list is so extensive you'll be invited to selectthe appropriate section of the alphabet if you're, say, an employeeof Acura Engineering or Showplace Cinemas. That lets you morequickly confirm you are eligible to join ETCU.

Perhaps that wide field of membership is at least part of thereason the Indiana credit union joined the Billionaires Club thisyear.

However, President/CEO Bill Schirmer indicated that althoughteachers form a smaller portion of the membership base each year,they're still a significant group.

“We have such a large percentage of the teacher population inour membership base–probably 65 to 75% of teachers are members–that they still comprise 45 to 50% of our total membership, about35,000 to 40,000 of our 80,000 members,” he said.

Schirmer suggested that if you walk into an ETFCU branch, youwill likely see a range of members from retired teachers to youngfamilies.

“They come in and we serve lemonade, coffee, doughnuts andcookies,” he said. “It's definitely member service that sets usapart. We also just recently rolled out an online banking platformso members can see all their financial relationships with dailyupdates.”

That online banking program also includes what ETCU callsPurchase Rewards, which Schirmer believes definitely separatesETFCU from other credit unions and banks. Purchase Rewards offers10% to 20% back on a monthly basis from various stores selected bya member from a list. A member can shop the merchant online or inthe store using an ETFCU debit card to earn the rewards.

Looking ahead, ETFCU would like to expand into the Indianapolisarea and upstate Indiana. But there's strong competition fromregional banks, including some that also have offices in Michigan,Kentucky and Illinois. In addition there are local banks, forexample German-American Bank, plus national names such as FifthThird and Chase.

To contend, “We have a very strong indirect lending program thathas driven a lot of loan growth,” Schirmer continued. “We have morethan 150 dealers in the state of Indiana in our program.

“Our loan growth has been substantial over the last two years atabout 25 to 30%, and our indirect loans about 50 to 55% a year.That's something we're very proud of. It's really driving ourreturn to members.”

Another factor helping ETFCU vie for loans is what Schirmerconsiders a very strong program to help first-time homebuyers withincomes at or below 80% of the median income in the county wherethey live. Buyers must contribute 5%, with a minimum of $1,000,toward the purchase.

“It's underwritten through the Federal Home Loan Bank ofIndianapolis,” the ETFCU executive explained. “They had extra fundsset aside this year, so we're doing a joint venture with them.”

There's also an Extra Credit mortgage program offering 1/8 of apercentage point on the APR of a first mortgage for members whoopen a checking account with debit card before the mortgage closingand sign up to have mortgage payments automatically deducted fromthe checking account.

Then there are Purchase Plus mortgages offering a $500 Visa giftcard.

ETFCU members also noticed a new statement format starting withthe June 30 statement, thanks to a just-completed data processingconversion.

“It's much more of a relationship statement, a householdstatement,” Schirmer said.

The revised statement includes information for all of a member'sdeposit accounts, including shares, checking, certificates andretirement accounts. Loan information will soon be integrated intothe new statement. Statements will be monthly if a member has achecking account or electronic transaction; otherwise they will beissued quarterly.

Schirmer began his career with a public accounting firm in GrandRapids, Mich., after graduating from Western Michigan University inKalamazoo with a degree in business.

After three years there he joined a Grand Rapids bank, thenmoved on to Lake Michigan Credit Union where he worked more than 18years, ending up as CFO and vice president.

In 2012 he accepted the CEO job at ETFCU.

His management approach reflects that of many other CEOs at $1billion credit unions who have learned it's important todelegate.

“I really see that the leader's role in a credit union thislarge is to find the talent, lay out the plan, and let the staffcarry it out. That's definitely my style. We had a very strongstaff when I got here. The board has been very supportive of ourmission and our direction,” Schirmer said.

“Evansville is a nice Midwestern town. It's slow paced, thepeople are very hospitable, and I have no complaintswhatsoever.”

Schirmer and his wife have five children, ranging in age from 7to 13. Two of the children were adopted from Guatemala.

“My wife is a stay-at-home mom. I think she works harder than Ido,” he declared.