Bettering People’s Lives for 80 Years

Opening a small business can be daunting.John H. did not even know where to start.

Fortunately, help was close at hand.

The Pennsylvania resident found the support and guidance he needed at Belco Community Credit Union, where he had been a personal account member for nearly 30 years. His local branch manager was a “great resource” as he embarked on his new venture, he says, “instrumental in making the transition less stressful.”

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“She helped me open a business account and integrate my accounts for online banking. And her years of experience and industry knowledge provided me with options I didn’t know were available to me. She represents Belco with integrity, professionalism and vast experience, and she is a natural at providing an ‘old-fashioned’ level of customer service that seems to be a lost commodity these days.”

Lifelong, Multigenerational Relationships

Belco Community Credit Union, based in Harrisburg, has been helping members like John H. – and bettering people’s lives – for 80 years, forging lifelong, multigenerational relationships along the way.

“Whether they’re a young adult purchasing their first home or car or applying for their first credit card, or a small-business owner like John, we strive to be a partner in each member-owner’s financial journey,” says Amey Sgrignoli, president and CEO.

“Because we take the time to listen to our members, we know they value accuracy, speed of service, convenience and friendliness as they pursue their financial goals and dreams,” she says. Repeated customer experience surveys and numerous member testimonials tell Sgrignoli and her team they continue to deliver on all counts. Indeed, according to a recent survey by Raddon Financial Group, an analytics firm for financial institutions, members score Belco as a high performer. The Member Loyalty Index and Net Promoter Scores place Belco among the highest-performing credit unions.

“When you’re dealing with people’s money, arguably the most important thing is making sure we can be trusted to handle it with care and accuracy,” says Adam Stewart, vice president of marketing. “Our members have made it very clear they feel we are professional, convenient and accurate.”

Belco believes in its members, and its members believe in Belco, Sgrignoli says. “We believe we’re providing them with a better experience. We believe we’re providing them with meaningful relationships and really helping them to improve their own personal financial situation.”

Founded in 1939 by 25 employees of Bell Telephone Company, who each contributed $5 to the startup organization, Belco now has more than 66,000 members and $616 million in assets. It is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers or attends school in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry or York counties.

Modern Technology. ‘Old-fashioned’ Commitment and Service.

Much has changed since Belco first opened its doors. It has grown from one branch to 14. Technology such as online and telephone banking and a mobile app have made it easier and more convenient than ever for members to manage their money. But for all these changes, the credit union has never lost sight of its commitment and loyalty to its members and its communities.

“Our members continue to enjoy strong relationships with the people who work at their local branches,” Sgrignoli says. “In addition, we continue to support a wide range of community organizations through volunteer participation, fundraising, financial literacy programs, sponsorships and charitable contributions.”

In fact, Belco was recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association as a leader in financial literacy, thanks to its efforts to provide financial education and resources to area students, employees and business owners through its Believe in Community initiative.

With its deep roots in the Greater Harrisburg community, Belco is “here for the long haul,” Sgrignoli says.

“We live here. We work here. We have outstanding board and community volunteer involvement. We are part of the community that you are a part of, and we understand what your financial needs look like. While we’ve modernized the delivery of products and services to meet the needs of future generations, our members still feel like they belong to something special here.”

This content was provided by Financial Service Directory. Kiplinger is not affiliated with and does not endorse the company or products mentioned above.