Amid hoopla including remarks by the Nebraska governor, the $601million SAC Federal Credit Union, the state's largest, broke groundTuesday on a new $20 million corporate headquarters in the Omahasuburb of Papillion.

SAC FCU also detailed plans for expansion in 2013-14, includingits fourth in-store operation at an Omaha Walmart.

“We just got board approval for the Walmart branch and it goesalong with two new branches we are planning in Glenwood, Iowa, andWahoo as a result of our new expanded four-county field ofmembership” said Cynthia Buettner, senior vicepresident-marketing/sales at the 71,500-member SAC FCU.

The four-floor, 90,000-square-foot facility will house 150employees and is expected to open in 2014.

Guests expected to speak at the groundbreaking included Gov.Dave Heineman. “We are delighted to have Gov. Heineman speak to ustoday since he has long been a big credit union booster and seesthe Papillion area as an anchor for new business growth,” saidBuettner.

Buettner said SAC FCU's brick and mortar expansion over the nexttwo years reflects a healthy 2012 with 12% growth and spikes inboth loans and membership. Some of the surge is due to theBank Transfer Day fallout, “the $5 Bank of America fees” plusgeneral economic improvement, said Buettner.

The credit union marketer, who said she has been on vacation andis just catching up on the news, laughed off the Vermontcommissioner flap on seeking to block “bank” and “banking” incredit union ads as “just plain silly.”

She said, however, she will be paying attention “since our motto is 'Better Banking atSAC.'”