Mergers and Giveaways Benefit Members and the Community

Cornerstone League recognizes member credit unions for their growth and community endeavors to exemplify the “people helping people” philosophy.

Premier Members CU and Meritrust CU Announce Intent to Merge

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The board of directors and leadership teams of Premier Members Credit Union and Meritrust Credit Union have agreed to merge, uniting two healthy credit unions to benefit their members and employees.

“As member-owned financial cooperatives, both of our credit unions share the same purpose and passion for financial well-being and commitment to improving the lives of our members, our employees, and the communities we serve,” says James Nastars, president/CEO of Meritrust. “We will now be able to use our combined strength to grow and expand those commitments to make a greater impact across Kansas and Colorado. That’s exciting for us.”

Meritrust will adopt Premier Members' existing Colorado state charter. The official name of the new credit union will be Meritrust Credit Union. Both credit unions will keep their existing brands as there is no overlap in existing markets and both brands have a strong presence in their respective communities. Meritrust CEO James Nastars and Premier Members CEO Carlos Pacheco will lead the new credit union as co-CEOs.

Expected completion of the merger is March 2025, pending approval from the National Credit Union Administration and Meritrust’s membership. The combined credit union will proudly serve over 200,000 members with 33 branches across communities in Kansas and Colorado, with 650 employees and nearly $4 billion in assets.

“We are not just combining assets,” said Pacheco. “We are uniting for our members, for our employees, and for our communities. Together, we will build a stronger, more innovative credit union that can better meet the evolving needs of our members and the communities we serve.”

As the process moves forward, both credit unions are committed to making this journey as smooth as possible for members and keeping them updated at every important step in this process via their websites and other member communication channels.  

Texas State University Student Wins Cruise by Using Greater Texas | Aggieland Card

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Texas State University student Michael Valdez has a great vacation to look forward to, as the winner of the Greater Texas | Aggieland Credit Union Fuel Your Dreams Cruise Giveaway.

Valdez, a junior from Pflugerville studying criminal justice at Texas State, was chosen at random from among thousands of the credit union’s cardholders, each winning one entry into the contest each time they used their card at the gas pump from mid-May to the end of July.

This was the first time Greater Texas | Aggieland has given a cruise, a $2,000 voucher with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, as a prize, and the first time that buying gasoline with a debit or credit card earned a contest entry.

Valdez, who has been banking with Greater Texas Credit Union for eight years, hasn’t decided where he would like to go for his cruise. But in the midst of the inevitable stresses of studying and exams this school year, he has a great, relaxing experience to look forward to.

The credit union noted that the cruise giveaway contest generated more than 19,000 transactions, worth $4.78 million. Valdez accounted for 20 of those transactions.

“We're always looking for ways to show appreciation to our members,” said Sidney Henderson, vice president of marketing at Greater Texas | Aggieland Credit Union. “Through this campaign, we were able to surprise one member with an incredible vacation experience just for using our payment tools during everyday activities like filling up their gas tank.”