WesCorp, CIA Open New Webcast Studio; Plan to Use it to Thank the Troops

SAN DIMAS, Calif. – WesCorp thinks Thanksgiving is the perfect time for troops abroad to hear from their relatives. That’s why the nation’s largest corporate and its Webcast partner CIA Studios plan to officially open WesCorp’s new Webcast studio the weekend prior to Thanksgiving in a very unique way. WesCorp will be inviting families with relatives in the military overseas to record a five-minute video-based Webcast to their loved ones in the military. Military personnel will be able to view the video at www.operationbestwishes.com. Operation Best Wishes is the name WesCorp and CIA have given to this initiative. “Rather than just hold a routine dedication ceremony, we wanted to do something more significant and memorable,” said WesCorp President/CEO Bob Siravo. “Putting one’s life on the line in defense of our country is a highly respected virtue. So giving the soldiers and their families the opportunity to use our facility to share a message that says we care and are thinking of you this Thanksgiving is something that WesCorp is deeply honored to do,” CIA Studios also plans to make its Webcast studio in San Juan Capistrano, California available for the same purpose. CIA Studios EVP Tom Glatt, Jr., said one of the benefits of Webcasting is it’s a cost effective way of using the Internet to host live audio and video-based presentations, and CIA’s Webcasts also offer an interactive component where participants can respond to presenters by text messaging. “We hope that a number of service men and women, who are available to log on to the Webcast, respond back to their families’ messages in real time using the feature,” said Glatt. However if military personnel can’t be there live for the event, they can access archive video messages from www.operationbestwishes.com. Operation Best Wishes isn’t just a WesCorp and CIA endeavor. More than 275 credit unions in Southern California will be helping identify members who have loved ones overseas in the military. Those credit unions will be extending invitations to these members, as well as supporting Operation Best Wishes with food, refreshments, photography and signage. At press time, a third Operation Best Wishes broadcasting location was added. North Island Financial CU has given WesCorp and CIA some space in one of its branches on a naval base in San Diego to broadcast. Being right on a naval base, WesCorp and CIA expect a strong turnout. WesCorp’s new studio of course will also be used for hosting financial education and management presentations. WesCorp has become a major player in Webcasts over the last two years, as they try to reach more members without having to travel to do it. WesCorp serves 1,000 credit unions, primarily in California, but has members in many states and Guam. WesCorp has facilities in Boise, Honoulu, Salt Lake City, San Leandro, California; Seattle and Spokane. [email protected]