A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT/CEO AND CHAIRMAN

On behalf of our FirstLight Family we would like to express our sincerest gratitude to our former Chief Executive Officer, Karl Murphy, who recently retired after 38 years of service at the end of January 2023. On February 1, 2023, the Board of Directors named the credit union’s first female and Hispanic Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Margie Salazar. She has been part of the credit union for 25 years, starting her career as a teller while attending UTEP and has since held several positions overseeing various areas and critical departments of FirstLight. Her experience with the credit union makes her an accomplished leader with extensive expertise in the financial industry to continue paving the way for our staff, members, and the communities we serve.

“I am a passionate believer in the credit union movement and its mantra of “people helping people”. As a proud El Paso Latina, I look forward to building upon our mission of improving lives so our members and communities alike can achieve their dreams.”

-Margie Salazar President / CEO

In 2022, our assets grew to $1.48 billion, serving over 109,000 members in the El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Las Cruces communities. Our financial strength and stability have enabled us to continue investing in cutting edge technology to better assist our members.

Better is… Improving Member Experience!

Engagement Centers

We began the transformation of our branches from traditional facilities into modern and technologically advanced “Engagement Centers”. With a focus on member experience, we have combined interactive technology with human interaction while still providing that friendly neighborhood service. This update empowers our members to take their FirstLight experience to the next level. Our staff will continue to be available in person and have access to continuous professional development, with opportunities to earn certifications such as financial counseling and more. The transformation of our branches is the beginning of a better member experience, and we are excited to continue the transformation. Our focus is to help our members improve lives and achieve dreams. Thank you for your continued patience during this transformation!

WE ARE MORE THAN A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION!

As an active contributor in the communities we serve, we are able to live the credit union’s mission and vision. We proudly participate in numerous events throughout the year to promote financial wellness and to give back to community organizations. Looking back on 2022, we are humbled knowing how many lives we were able to impact, and we will strive each year to do more. The following is just a short list of some memorable highlights:

· We participated in 99 community development and financial wellness trainings in the education sector.

· FirstLight donated $16,099 to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger and Casa De Peregrinos.

· The FirstLight Community Foundation awarded $25,000 to 25 scholarship recipients.

For more details and to learn about other events FirstLight was a part of, please make sure to look over our 2022 Highlights Timeline.

Looking To The Future

For 2023, we look forward to continuing with all current initiatives aimed at improving the member experience, such as our branch transformation project, a new location in Horizon, expanded ATM/ITM network, Zelle, expanded hours of operation via our virtual channels and continued financial outreach and education. We thank you for your unwavering support and patience as we continue to navigate this journey together. FirstLight continues to see growth, not only in the form of membership, but also from a deposit and loan standpoint. This growth is a result of the positive response from our current members and surrounding communities. As an organization, we make numerous efforts to be a good corporate citizen as well as a trusted community partner. At the end of the day, we solely exist because of our members, and we are grateful for the opportunity to play a key role in the communities we serve.