PORTLAND, Ore. -- As many as 50 credit unions across the U.S. could have become potential partners for the $250 million Toyota Federal Credit Union of Torrance, Calif. based on its high performance mark, according to Bartoo Associates, a CU merger consulting firm.

"Due to their size, multi-state presence and branding, the number of interested credit unions in a merger partnership for them was likely very substantial," commented David Bartoo, president of the Forest Grove firm and its Merger Solutions Group.

A large part "of their difficult merger decision" with Western FCU of Manhattan Beach, Calif. "may involve their current brand and what will become of that SEG relationship," observed Bartoo.

"It would be an unusual event to have a credit union abandon such a well known and recognizable brand," he said. "If that were to occur, it could lead to another large credit union with significant capital having the opportunity to form a DBA relationship with the Toyota Corporation to continue servicing those employees."

Most of the merging CUs that his firm works with, he said, "stress member benefit and minimal member impact as key elements in their merger choices. The most likely scenario is that of Western retaining the current branding under a DBA in expanding services and the branch network. This could minimize the impact of the merger and member attrition as well as maintain the brand legacy."

A spokesman for Western said the CU would have no comment on the Bartoo observations.

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