The $906 million Coast Central Credit Union has signed aseven-year contract for online banking and bill pay services fromPSCU Financial Services, the credit union and CUSO said.

The Eureka, Calif., institution said it will be converting itselectronic bankers – more than 16,000 of its 53,000 members – tothe new system, which it decided on after a two-year evaluationperiod that included 23 vendors.

“We wanted a partner that could meet our members' desire forfull functionality and ease of use while also addressing ourstaff's need for flexibility and continuous technologyimprovements,” said Jim Sessa, senior vice president/CFO at CoastCentral.

He said a small business module on the same platform also was akey requirement. The credit union had been using a home bankingsolution from its core processor, Harland Financial Solutions,according to Callahan & Associates' Technology Survey.

Coast Central said it now serves about a third of the populationof Northern California's Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity countiesthrough 12 branches, including two that offer seven-day-a-weekservice.

PSCU, based in St. Petersburg, Fla., said it now serves morethan 1,500 credit unions and has 680 credit union-owners.