A few weeks ago I received a Google alert about Goldenwest receiving recognition as one of the healthiest credit unions in the nation. At first glance, I thought the accolades were in regards to our employee wellness program in partnership with Regence. Since we launched the program two years ago, Goldenwest has been a leader in our industry for employee engagement in health and wellness.

After I clicked on the link, I discovered that the article was actually about the credit union’s financial stability. DepositAccounts.com has given Goldenwest an A+ grade for overall institution health. One of the metrics used to grade financial institutions is the Texas ratio, which is an indicator of capital available compared to the loans considered at risk. The NCUA considers capitalization levels to be of high importance. I’m pleased to report that Goldenwest’s capital ratio is excellent.

We received more good news last month when Credit Union Journal named Goldenwest among the top 10 credit unions in the nation to work for, in a category for institutions with assets greater than $1 billion. Goldenwest surpassed the $1 billion mark for the first time less than a year ago, so it’s thrilling for us to be named one of the best credit unions to work for in this classification. Our employee wellness initiative is a vital component in caring for our internal members. Furthermore, Goldenwest’s comprehensive health plan, employee assistance program and retirement benefits make evident our loyalty to our employees and their families.

Creating a healthy environment for our employees is an excellent investment for the credit union. Happy and well employees can focus on taking care of our members’ needs. Our flourishing health and wellness as an organization has noteworthy momentum that we will strive to continue for the foreseeable future.

I offer my thanks and congratulations to Felicia Munoz who is our employee of the month. Felicia works tirelessly in our Human Resources Department, and helps administer our benefit plans to our employees.

A quick shout-out to our team at the Brigham City office where we recently held a grand re-opening celebration: Jared Steed and his staff have done an outstanding job in serving our members as we have rebranded that branch from USU Credit Union to a Goldenwest office. We are thrilled at the success we are experiencing in Box Elder County.

On a more somber note, we were saddened by the recent passing of our long-time friend and credit union volunteer Phil Orrock. Phil served Goldenwest members for more than a decade as the chair of our Supervisory Committee. Our condolences go to Phil’s wife, June, and their family.

In a season in which we focus on gratitude, I am most appreciative for the opportunity to serve our members and employees in the capacity of Goldenwest president and CEO. As always, I welcome your comments on this blog post or to my email at president@gwcu.org. I invite you to follow me on Twitter @GoldenwestCUCEO more credit union news and inspiring thoughts.