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OCTOBER 26, 2023 • WESTMAN BUSINESS • THE BRANDON SUN
Westoba Credit Union is marking a significant milestone this year as it cel- ebrates its 60th anniversary of serving the Brandon community and beyond. The credit union, which began its jour- ney in 1963 as the Brandon Consumers Credit Union Society, has witnessed remarkable growth and evolution over the years. “I would say over the last 10 years, there has been a lot of change. When I originally came here from Saskatch- ewan, it was a very new landscape working in Manitoba,” President and CEO Jim Rediger told the Sun. “But it is probably fair to say over the last 10 years, there’s been tremendous change in the financial industry in general, especially over the last five years, as we’ve gone through the pandemic.” Rediger noted the evolution Westoba has undergone during his tenure in- cluding navigating the challenges brought about by the global health cri- sis. He highlighted the remarkable trans- formation in how organizations had to do business over that time. In the case of Westoba, a transition to a hybrid work environment and the upgrade of their digital capabilities allowed them to better serve their members, then and now. “There’s been a lot of change… in terms of the digital capability of our business and members.” Rediger also acknowledged the most recent impact of high inflation and in- terest rates on their members’ finan- cial landscape and how Westoba has adapted to support their members. “It has meant a lot of change for our members in terms of the rates they are being charged on loans, and certainly a big change for our depositors as well,” he said. It is more important than ever for financial institutions to have deep conversations with their members and communities about the impacts they are feeling and talk with them about their financial options. Rediger notes that Westoba strives to talk to all members about their over- all financial health by providing free financial check-ups. By having these conversations with their members, they can have a holistic view and pro- vide solutions that will work long-term for them. Through their Westoba Fi- nancial Solutions team, they can offer financial planning advice for personal or business members, they talk about options for succession planning, re- view insurance options, and more. The 60th anniversary celebration coincided with International Credit Union Day this past October 19. Festiv- ities took place in all Westoba branch- es, with hundreds of Westoba members and community members joining in the celebrations that included activ- ities, games, giveaways, and refresh- ments.
Westoba Credit Union president and CEO Jim Rediger, seen here in his office on 10th Street. (Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun)
Westoba renews community ties
Westoba is not just celebrating its history this year, but also looking to- ward the future with a renewed pur- pose, mission statement, vision, and values. These were developed collabo- ratively with input from members, the community, the board of directors, and employees, aiming to shape Westoba’s path for the future. “We recently have unveiled our new purpose, mission, vision, and values… building a new set of guiding princi- ples that will hopefully shape us for the next 60 years,” he said. One of the core aspects of Westoba’s
identity is its commitment to commu- nity support. Rediger pointed to the Westoba Inspired Community Invest- ment Program, through which it will donate $60,000 during their 60th-anni- versary celebrations. “We’ve been on a journey giving back to our communities… providing fund- ing for approximately $200,000 for 35 different projects right across the prov- ince of Manitoba,” he said. Westoba’s dedication to supporting newcomers to Canada has been anoth- er focus for the organization. Rediger shared that they have established the
“New to Canada” program, which pro- vides access to funding for new Cana- dians to purchase homes and set up basic financial accounts. Additionally, Westoba staff have been actively in- volved in providing financial literacy training to help new Canadians adapt to the Canadian financial landscape. “We’ve had a number of our staff… providing their financial expertise to a lot of new Canadians to help them adapt to the Canadian way of life and managing your finances in Canada,”
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