DULUTH, Ga. – Georgia Federal Credit Union recently celebrated the opening of probably the only center that has industry neighbors from all walks of life. The $365 million credit union held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August for its 74,000-square foot, three-story corporate headquarters. Sharing space with GFCU will be Georgia Credit Union Affiliates, Georgia Central Credit Union and CUNA Mutual Group. Aptly-titled the Georgia Credit Union Center, the new facility even has its own street name – Credit Union Way. Warren Butler, GFCU president/CEO of GFCU, welcomed more than 150 guests to the ceremony including Mike Mercer, president of Georgia Credit Union Affiliates; Greg Moore, president of Georgia Central CU; and Mike Defnet, vice president of sales, SE Marketing Division, CUNA Mutual Group. The new center broke ground last August and was open for business by Memorial Day of this year. Seventy GFCU employees and 80 employees from the other organizations will work at the new center. "After consulting with Georgia Central Credit Union and CUNA Mutual Group, we learned that they were also in need of a home with future growth potential," Butler said. "Partnering together seemed like the best solution for everyone." GFCU's new headquarters will house a small retail branch; administrative office; human resources; mortgage loans and other loans operations; information systems; accounting; card services; collections; marketing; training; and "a long-anticipated" e-branch with a call center. Butler said the credit union had outgrown its previously-leased office space as a lease expiration date loomed. After researching several locations in the Atlanta area, the Sugarloaf area of Gwinnett County here was selected for its growing population, professional labor pool and potential for additional member groups. "I'm sure our seven founding members would've been amazed, if they knew the teachers' credit union they founded in 1958 would've evolved into (more than) 70,000 member-owners," said Geraldine Tilson, chairman of GFCU's board of directors. GFCU was originally chartered as the DeKalb County Teachers Federal Credit Union. The new center provides ample room for future expansion, said Kevin Durrance, GFCU senior vice president and CFO, who coordinated the building project. Other special guests at the ribbon-cutting ceremony included Rep. John Linder, (D-Ga.), who gave the keynote address; Shirley Lasseter, mayor of Duluth here; and Jim Moran, president of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce here. [email protected]