Blog

Leominster Credit Union Partners with Fitchburg High School for Financial Literacy

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Leominster Credit Union (LCU) has partnered with Fitchburg High School to supplement their math classes with a Financial Literacy section regarding personal finance. The personal finance course includes units on checking, savings, managing credit, types of credit, saving for college, budgeting and much more! The classes run for 40 minutes and are taught rotating both in-person and virtually, engaging with over 100 students. The classes are taught by LCU employees Brittany Haley, Waldemar Agostini and Daisy Casiano in conjunction with Katie Najjar.

“At LCU we hope to continue to foster this new relationship with Fitchburg High School, faculty and students and in the future hope to expand this curriculum to additional schools within our community. We want to provide financial education to students and families to improve their skills, boost their confidence and help them achieve success,” said Katie Najjar, SVP Retail, Leominster Credit Union.

“Introducing financial literacy has been a welcomed opportunity for Fitchburg High School students.  Students need to be versed in the core curriculum and practical everyday life skills such as being financially literate.  Learning about budgeting, money, and finances can impact student futures and quality of life. We are happy to work with LCU in offering these options for our students,” stated Josie D’Elia, Fitchburg High School, Guidance Counselor.

Leominster Credit Union Announces Promotions

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Leominster, MA –Leominster Credit Union has recently announced the promotions of Ellen Coughlin and Mychelle Phillips.

Ellen Coughlin was promoted to the position of Vice President, Human Resources and Development. For the last 5 years, Ellen was the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources but has been with the organization for 17 years.  She will be responsible for all the Human Resources functions, development and training and will become a member of the Senior Management Team reporting to Barbara Mahoney, President & CEO.  Coughlin received a BA from Worcester State College in Spanish and a minor in Health Sciences. She went on to receive her master’s degree from Emmanuel College, with a concentration in Human Resources.  She has also received her PHR, Professional Human Resources designation from the HR Certification Institute and her SHRM-CP.  Coughlin resides in Sterling with her husband and daughter.

Mychelle Phillips was promoted to Vice President, Operations and Information Technology (IT). Phillips has been with LCU for 17 years and Vice President of Operations for the last 6 years. Her new duties will include being responsible for the Digital and Member Service Center, Operations and our IT division. Phillips will become a member of the Senior Management Team and report to Barbara Mahoney, President & CEO. Mychelle has a bachelor’s degree from New England College of Business and holds an Accredited Automated Clearing House Professional (AAP) certification awarded by National ACH Association to individuals who are experts in electronic payments. Phillips resides in Leicester with her husband.

“These promotions are the result of the exceptional performance of these individuals within their respective departments,” commented Barbara Mahoney, President & CEO.  “Ellen and Mychelle display exemplary behavior, discipline and leadership and we are pleased to have them as part of our Senior Management Team.”

 

Email System Upgrade

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As we continue to ensure that your safety and security is a top priority, we will be upgrading our email system to continually provide you with the most up-to-date protection. Encrypting a confidential email has always been a standard practice at Leominster Credit Union but we want to remind you of the importance of this protocol. When receiving any confidential information from Leominster Credit Union you will receive an encrypted* email and will need to authenticate your email before receiving the message. Please remember, if you are ever concerned about the authenticity of an email from Leominster Credit Union, please call our Member Service Center, 800-649-4646 to confirm.

We want to reiterate the importance of being aware and alert of any scams or fraudulent activity that could compromise your personal information. For more specific information, please visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website.

We thank you for your cooperation and trust in Leominster Credit Union.

*To convert information or data to prevent unauthorized access.

Reminder about our Branch Operations/Appointments:

Our Lobbies remain closed, but please note for transactions that cannot be completed through our Drive-Ups and digital channels, appointments can be made by calling 800-649-4646.

  • Appointments can be made at our Main, Clinton, Holden, North Leominster, Sterling, and both Worcester Branches by calling 800-649-4646.
  • Please note that our Shrewsbury Street Branch will be available for appointments beginning on February 22, 2021.

Drive-Ups

  • Our Drive-Ups at our Main, North Leominster, Clinton, Holden, Sterling and both Worcester Branches will remain open during regular business hours. Saturday Drive-Up hours are temporarily extended until 1:00 PM.
  • Please note that our Shrewsbury Street Branch Drive-Up will be available beginning on February 22, 2021.

2021 Scholarship Program

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Leominster Credit Union Announces Call for Scholarship Applicants

 If you plan to attend college this year after graduating from high school, you’ll be happy to know that Leominster Credit Union is offering eligible members a chance to win a $1,500 scholarship to help cover the expanding costs associated with your college education.

The Credit Union College Scholarship Program, supported by Massachusetts Credit Unions and our statewide campaign, Better Values – Better Banking, is funding six (6) $1,500 scholarships that will be awarded to six (6) high school graduates chosen as winners from across the state. And Leominster Credit Union is hoping that one of those lucky winners is a member of our credit union.

There is no fee to apply! To be eligible, you simply must be a member of Leominster Credit Union and a high school senior who will be enrolled in an undergraduate college/university degree program during the 2021-2022 academic year. Each applicant must also complete a Scholarship Application and submit it along with the other required materials to Kelli Rooney, SVP/Community Engagement & Marketing, Leominster Credit Union, 20 Adams Street, Leominster, MA 01453 before April 2, 2021.

Application form, eligibility requirements and list of required documents are available at leominstercu.com/resources/member-news.

Good Luck!

 

North Leominster Branch – Drive-up re-opens January 19, 2021

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Beginning on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 our North Leominster Branch (1316 Main Street, Leominster) will go back to our regular Drive-Up Hours.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 8:30 to 5pm

Thursdays 8:30am to 6pm

Saturdays from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

Our Branch is open for appointments only. To make an appointment in our branch, please call 800-649-4646.

Important Information re: Stimulus Checks

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Stimulus Checks

The U.S Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service as authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (“Act”),  started printing and mailing Economic Impact Payments (EIP) checks on December 30, 2020 with a pay date of January 6, 2021. The latest information on Stimulus Checks can be found at www.IRS.gov/EIP

 How can I find out if my check has been direct deposited into my account?

You can log into Online Banking from our website www.leominstercu.com, use our Mobile Banking App that can be downloaded from the App Store or set up Secure Alerts through our Online or Mobile Banking platforms. (Please note: due to high volume, our mobile platform is experiencing some intermittent disruptions.) Secure Alerts lets you know the moment something important happens in your account by instantly sending a message via text, email, or to your Online Banking message center. For more information visit, https://leominstercu.com/personal-banking/online-banking/#securealerts. Later this week, you may check the status of your payment at IRS.gov/GetMyPayment.

IRS Issued Checks/Debit Cards
If you don’t receive a direct deposit by early January, watch your mail for either a paper check or a debit card. The IRS will start mailing paper checks on Wednesday, December 30. To speed up delivery, a limited number of people will receive their second stimulus payment by debit card. But the form of payment for your second stimulus check may be different than your first payment. Some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time could receive a paper check.

The debit cards will be issued by MetaBank, and they will arrive in a white envelope that prominently displays the U.S. Treasury Department’s seal. The Visa name will be on the front of the card, and it will say “MetaBank” on the back. More information about these cards is available at www.EIPcard.com.

Fraud
Unfortunately there are individuals using COVID-19 to take advantage of others. Continue to be alert and don’t fall prey to panic or intimidation to do anything that may compromise your personal information. For useful information regarding Coronavirus related scams, please visit the Federal Trade Commission, https://www.ftc.gov/.

Due to the increase in calls regarding stimulus checks and account inquiries, we are experiencing higher than normal call volume and we appreciate your patience. We thank you for your continued loyalty and look forward to servicing all of your banking needs.

Please visit our website, www.Leominstercu.com for updates, current hours of operation, safety and security protocols and other important information.

Thank you,
Leominster Credit Union

John O’Brien announces retirement, Barbara Mahoney named as President & CEO

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Leominster, MA –  Leominster Credit Union (LCU) held its first ever Virtual Annual Meeting on September 15, 2020. During this meeting John O’Brien, President & CEO of Leominster Credit Union announced that he will be retiring effective, November 30, 2020 after 13 years with LCU.

“I have enjoyed my 13 years at Leominster Credit Union as well as my 41 years in the banking industry.  The last 7 ½ years as the CEO of LCU has been a very rewarding experience.  I believe the Credit Union is in an excellent position, with a strong management team in place, solid results, excellent employee morale, and a strong vision. I feel very fortunate to be able to retire at a time that both works for me, and works well for LCU,” said John O’Brien.

Giulio Greco, Chairman of the Board said, “John is well respected throughout the credit union community and has been dedicated to giving back to non-profit organizations in the communities in which we live and work. He has been a strong asset to Leominster Credit Union, and we will miss his leadership.”

The Board of Directors appointed Barbara Mahoney as the next President & CEO to replace John O’Brien.

Mahoney joined the Credit Union on October 10, 2003 as Vice President of Human Resources.  She was promoted to Senior Vice President of Human Resources in March of 2010 at which time she oversaw Human Resources, Training and Facilities. Since her promotion to SVP/Chief Operating Officer in January 2019, and she has been providing leadership, direction and vision for the Operations, Information Technology/Risk, Human Resources and Facilities functions.

Before joining Leominster Credit Union, Barbara was employed for 13 years at Allmerica Financial as Director of Human Resources and prior to that she worked for Bank of Boston.

“I am honored and humbled by the Board’s decision and very excited to take on the CEO role, representing and leading Leominster Credit Union.  We have an exceptional team and I know through their passion and commitment we will continue to move LCU forward. John established an excellent foundation and I am confident we are positioned well, for continued success,” said Barbara Mahoney.

Barbara has had many professional affiliations within our community including, The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Strategy Committee, Masshire North Central Workforce Board as the Executive Committee Chair, Employers Association of the Northeast Past Executive Committee Chair, HR Network and Cooperative Credit Union Association, New England Human Resources Association, Society of Human Resources Management, HR Council.  Barbara currently serves on the Foundation Board for St. Bernard’s High School.

“Barbara brings experience, leadership, strategic vision and a passionate community connection that we feel are critical attributes that will help Leominster Credit Union to continue moving forward over the next several years,” stated, Giulio Greco, Chairman of the Board.

 

Barbara Mahoney

Coin Machines

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Effective, Thursday, October 1, 2020 we will be opening up the use of our coin machines. Coin machines are located at the following branch locations:

  • Main Branch 20 Adams Street, Leominster, MA 01453
  • Clinton Branch 159 Mechanic Street, Clinton, MA 01510
  • Holden Branch 715 Main Street, Holden, MA 01520
  • Worcester Branches 137 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, MA 01604 & 910 West Boylston Street, Worcester, MA 01606

For the health and safety of our employees and members, we ask that you continue to follow the appropriate health guidelines when utilizing our coin machines by wearing a mask and gloves. We thank you for your cooperation.

For members who “cash out” or for non-members – a 5% fee will be assessed. Coin counter service is FREE to members when depositing full amount of change into your LCU account. Coin counter receipt is good only on the date coins were counted.

Seasonal Travelers

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Due to recent events surrounding COVID-19, we understand there may be some of our members that will not be traveling as intended this season. Please contact our Member Service Center at 800-649-4646 to ensure we have the correct address on file so you will receive your statements and important tax documents.