Always... Your Local Financial Partner
Shift Into the Perfect Ride Rates as low as 2.49% APR* for up to 72 months
Get SHCU Pre-Approved Today Now’s a great time to lock in a low rate, low monthly payments, and overwhelming happiness. Whether you plan to drive Highway 30 or cruise the coast, you’ll enjoy every mile knowing you’re saving money.
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Visit www.shcu.org, stop by any branch or call 503-397-2376. *APR – Annual Percentage Rate. Rate subject to change. Actual loan rate based on applicant’s credit worthiness. All loan requests are subject to approval.
Scappoose
52691 Columbia River Highway
St. Helens
1720 St. Helens Street
Rainier
118 East A Street
Hope you have another successful 75 years!
Columbia River Honda would like to thank the St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union for serving the people and businesses for the past 75 years. Columbia River Honda/Suzudi/Polaris 58245 Columbia River Hwy St. Helens OR 97051 503-397-3502 Tues-Fri 9-6; Sat 9-5
D.R. Garrison, CPA, PC C11325
2114 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens 503-366-0994
Congratulations
Congratulations St. Helens Credit Union on 75 years of service to our community!
St Helens Community Federal Credit Union on 75 years of service! Tire Service Center
C11323
Eaton’s
STAN’S REFRIGERATION & APPLIANCE SALES & SERVICE C11324
Serving Columbia County for 36 years!
1780 Columbia blvd at 18th, St. helenS • 503-397-3145 8am-6pm mon-fri • we aCCept Credit CardS
Financing Available O.A.C. • 58481 Old Portland Rd., St. Helens Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-5 • 503-397-5510
We commend you on your achievement on serving our community for 75 years!
Always Here for You This is a community of hard workers – fighters through and through. That spirit helped create CU 4 a Cause. Already, we’ve grown to help raise money and donate countless employee volunteer hours for several charities, including the Amani Center, CASA for Kids, Inc., Columbia Humane Society, Community Action Team, Columbia Pacific Food Bank, KidCare Scappoose, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and Sacagawea Health Center.
After 20 years of banking with large commercial banks, Pacific Stainless switched to St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union and has been very happy with the service and products they offer. Pacific Stainless always promotes shopping locally, but if we moved tomorrow we would continue to bank at the credit union. The management, staff and board have been great to work with. So congrats on the last 75 years, and here’s to the next 75.
Jeff Kemp Pacific Stainless Products, Inc 58500 Mcnulty Way, St Helens (503) 397-1277
C11322
Always Standing Beside You Amani Center
“I’m thankful and astonished by the generosity, dedication and philanthropic attitudes of the St. Helens Credit Union staff. They are a huge asset to our community.” Lisa Galovich, Executive Director
Columbia Pacific Food Bank "The St. Helens CU has been a very supportive partner of Columbia Pacific Food Bank for many years, through sponsoring fundraising events, raising money through employee giving as well as community giving fundraisers we have been able to count on the credit union. They have also been a great supporter of the SH Backpack program, without that support I don't think the program would be up and running today.”
Tracie Smith, Executive Director
Columbia Humane Society “The seemingly effortless support given by the Credit Union staff was so well appreciated, they simply took the skills of banking and helped us to quickly cash out all our bidders auction items. They quickly moved the whole process into a smooth rhythm and worked very well together and with the CHS board members, their professionalism and great attitude was very appreciated by us at CHS and by our dinner/auction attendees.”
Kimberly Robinson, Columbia Humane Society
Always 1984
1938
1965
SHCU begins serving employees of St. Helens Pulp and Paper Co., and Jaite Company. Member initiation fee is .25 cents per month to purchase
Credit Union grows to over 1,000 members sharing assets of nearly
a $5 share in their new Credit Union.
$800 thousand.
Credit Union grows again to over 10,000 members sharing assets of just over $23 million.
1956
1974
1977
SHCU membership grows with addition of Crown Zellerbach and St
Field of membership defined, in part, as those who live or work within a twenty-mile radius of the St Helens, Oregon Post Office.
Scappoose Branch opens.
Helens Plywood employees.
75 Years and Counting
The history of our region and community is well known, from the maps drawn by Lewis and Clark in 1805, to the statehood of Oregon half a century later, the formation of the county seat in 1906 and more. In 1928, the St. Helens Pulp and Paper Company began production, hiring local workers and helping the community grow and thrive. Ten short years later, the history of Saint Helens Community Federal Credit Union began in earnest. When SHCU was first established in 1938, it was set up specifically to serve employees of the two local paper mills. At the time, the paper-making industry was experiencing rapid growth spurred by what was then cutting-edge technology. Back then, initial membership dues were 25 cents per month and the maximum loan was $50, and minimum wage was an astounding .25/hour with most workers putting in 44 hours a week. Since then, we’ve grown to serve the community, our local families, and area business. We’ve expanded our field of membership and have found ways to help the local economy grow despite the setbacks we’ve all seen over the decades. The Great Recession caught a lot of America by surprise. But not our community. We’ve been part of major economic shifts before, like when the timber industry slowed to a halt, shipping decreased, and jobs all but disappeared. So, we feel we can speak for our members and neighbors when we say, “bring it.” We’ve seen worse and we’ll certainly weather it better than most.
Credit Unions Are Different
We care about the community in ways a big bank never could. As a financial cooperative, our board of directors are unpaid volunteers, and we are “not for profit.” We do not answer to investors whose only motivation is profit. Instead, we answer to you and all the members. After all, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
1995 Mortgage center opens. Credit Union joins Co-Op Network.
2003 Adopted Community Charter, expanding our field of membership to include anyone who lives, works, attends school, volunteers, or worships in Columbia County or Sauvie Island, Oregon.
1989
1998
Rainier Branch opens.
First school branch opens at St Helens High School, giving students real-world financial interaction.
2011 CU 4 A Cause community giving program launched.
2012 Scappoose High School Branch opens.
The Future is You
Make no mistake about it, the future of SHCU rests in the hands of each and every member. Over the past 75 years, we’ve grown with each new member, each new auto loan, and each new family saving for the future and their child’s education. This is where we belong and where you’ll find us today, tomorrow and for the next 75 years.
Meeting the Future The proof is in what we do, not just what we say. That’s why you’ll find student-run branches at both St. Helens and Scappoose High Schools. The longevity of our community lies in the hands of our kids. We’re pleased to announce, that it’s going to be a very bright future indeed. Student branch tellers Parker Snook and Jacob Stafford
Highlighting Success Northwest Structural Moving Christy and Keith Settle opened Northwest Structural Moving just over 20 years ago. In that time, they’ve grown from a small residential company to a commercial industrial business serving the entire west coast, and bringing jobs to Columbia County. Fact is, every one of the company’s employees lives here. The SHCU family has known these two entrepreneurs for a long time. Keith, a graduate of St. Helens has been a member since he was a little boy, and Christy, who graduated from Scappoose High School, worked at the Credit Union for 16 years. “SHCU has worked hard to serve our needs as we’ve grown,” stated Keith Settle. “They’ve found creative ways to make things work for us and help us grow.”
Christy and Keith Settle of Northwest Structural Moving
Joyce Judah Employee and Member since 1986 Back when Joyce started at the Credit Union, she worked in lending. In addition to her day job, music is her passion. So when she had the chance to teach 5th grade band, she took it. And the Credit Union backed her up. 17 years later, she’s still an integral part of the SHCU lending team and a part of every 5th grade band member’s life. Joyce manages recycling efforts at SHCU and raises money for Relay for Life in St. Helens. “SHCU is a very, very comfortable place to work,” says Joyce. “Especially with a family. The flexibility has been fantastic. I feel a sense of ownership about my work. That’s what’s been so cool about this. It’s been good that way.”
Congratulations to the St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union on its 75 years in the community. They’ve helped us out for nearly half of that time and we don’t know what we’d do without them. Wishing you luck on the next 75, Todd Stansbury, Sunshine Pizza
We have been banking with St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union for over 35 years. During that time, they have partnered with us in helping grow our very specialized business. We would like to thank the Credit Union for the 75 years of service they have provided to their membership and community. We look forward to many more years of doing business with them.
Northwest Structural Moving Scappoose, OR http://www.nwmoves.com
Always Supporting a Stronger Community SHCU has always been a supporter of local business. When our local employers prosper, so does the economy. And if there is any way we can help make that happen, we will go out of our way to do so.
Tough Times are Our Specialty
The economy is trying its best to pick back up. But regardless of what goes on out there, we’re all in here trying our best to make a difference. Maybe it’s something as simple as small business checking, or unlimited deposits and free Direct Deposit for larger employers that makes the biggest impact. Whatever it is, we’re always looking for more ways to give back to those entrepreneurs who take the risks and, with a little help along the way, reap the rewards of hard work and ingenuity.
Always Serving the Business Community
Over the decades, we’ve helped hundreds of local businesses. Today, were serving the daily needs of businessess throughout the community. It’s a tough job, but then again, so is owning, running and/or managing your own business. When we help one business succeed, we’re helping bring jobs and financial stability to the overall community.
Highlighting Success Pacific Stainless Products, Inc. When Jeff Kemp and Dennis Sugiharas started Pacific Stainless Products, they had high hopes of becoming an area employer, creating jobs and futures for families throughout the community. The company they co-founded in 1988 employs over 100 people at its 150,000 square foot facility. That makes them the second largest employer in the area. Pacific Stainless Products is a great example of how a company can work with SHCU to save money and make things easier for its employees. Every payday, employees of the worldclass manufacturer of high-quality stainless steel equipment get their paychecks deposited into their SHCU account if they are a member. It’s a win for the company and win for the employees. Plus, as Kemp likes to urge others, it’s a great way to keep things local.
Jeff Kemp of Pacific Stainless Products
“I’m huge on shopping local,” Kemp said when asked about the community and SHCU. “We use the Credit Union for a lot. Right now we have two building loans and a revolving line of credit. It’s great. If I have a question, I can call the CEO or any of the board members at SHCU and get an answer. You don’t get that at a big bank. It makes a guy feel comfortable.”
Always Striving for More At SHCU, we’re always working hard to give our members more, whether that means helping you open a Health Savings Account to offset some of your tax liability while paying for healthcare with pre-tax dollars, or simply offering the advice you need to build your credit, savings, and financial future for yourself, your family or your business. Whatever it is you need, we’re always here to make suggestions, offer helpful advice, and make recommendations. It’s what we do and what we plan to do for the next 75 years. To be honest, we plan to “always” be your local financial partner – meeting the needs of local business and families, helping to make a difference throughout the community. Because of our cooperative spirit and people-helping-people philosophy, families will continue find the money they need for cars and homes and college educations, while local business will find the funds they need to buy fleets, equipment and hire new people.
SHCU is Here to Serve
The Credit Union impacts lives with every interaction and takes that commitment very seriously. New and long-term members alike will consistently experience exceptional member service as SHCU helps solve member problems instead of adding to them. The Credit Union is the center of a like-minded family and community. As that community builds and grows, storms are more easily weathered, dreams are quickly achieved, and the future is brighter. Together, the community will continue to grow with SHCU as the trusted financial advisor.
A letter from SHCU’s President/CEO and Board Chairman Dear Members, Over the decades, our goal has always been to serve the members – whether they were buying a home, financing a car, sending someone off to college, or simply planning for retirement. You can see that commitment in everything we do. Together, we have built a powerful financial institution that helps families prosper and local businesses grow. Through the years, there have been a lot of changes in our community and SHCU has been there every step of the way. SHCU is a family. It’s also a community and a vibrant part of the local economy. We’re honored to be able to make a difference in the communities we serve. Sincerely,
Brooke Van Vleet, President/CEO
Lea Chitwood, Board Chairman