WASHINGTON, Penn. — The $131-million Washington Community FCU is changing its name to Chrome Federal Credit Union.
The credit union said it was making the change to differentiate itself from other institutions in the market with the word “Washington” in their names, while also paying tribute to its heritage.
The 11,000-member credit union was founded in 1971 to serve the Washington Steel Corp., and later expanded to a community charter for Washington and Green counties in Pennsylvania.
“Chrome is simply good banking,” said President/CEO Christopher George in a statement. “To us that means easy-to-use accounts, less fees, more stores and smart people who can’t wait to help. We’ll also be serving up state-of-the-art online and mobile banking, Chrome Confidence privacy and security assurance, and more.”
The credit union said it is seeking to become a “challenger brand” in the Pittsburgh region, and is using Seattle-based Momentum for a branch demographic study, the branch prototype design and the implementation process of its brand and facilities.
The new Chrome FCU said it is rebuilding its flagship store at 440 Racetrack Road; doubling it in size to include a community room/small business incubator. It is also working on a new website, updated online/mobile banking, and seeking expansion into new markets.
“We are flipping the model upside down,” said George. “We feel banking is going digital, and everyone holds a bank in their pocket. The store is there to host a conversation about financial goals; so we can explain how we can make our customers’ lives easier with our simple products and services. And, while they’re there, they can enjoy free wifi and a complimentary cup of premium coffee.”
The Racetrack store remodel and the new chromefcu.org are scheduled for completion in July 2015.