Zia Credit Union staff and officials gather for a photo Wednesday morning at 1001 Central Ave., in celebration of their 68th anniversary in business serving the community and surrounding area. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
Zia Credit Union (ZIA CU) is celebrating 68 years in business serving the community and surrounding area.
Through the years Zia CU has expanded services to its members and has grown to include branches in Española and Santa Fe.
“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind,” said ZIA CU Chairman of the Board JC Garcia. “I’m not only honored to be a part of the Zia Credit Union family, I’m truly grateful for the kindness, contributions and services that we offer our membership, and the communities we serve. Happy 68th Zia!”
Historical Highlights:
- Zia came from humble beginnings, established in 1955 by roughly 200 employees of the Zia Corporation;
- The original Zia CU was located behind the post office in Los Alamos;
- In 1997, the headquarters and Los Alamos branch were moved to the current location at 1001 Central Ave.;
- In 1999, the Española branch opened;
- A third branch was added in Santa Fe in 2020;
- Today Zia is a thriving credit union with members living, working or worshiping in Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Taos and Santa Fe counties. It employes roughly 60 people between its three branches and local call center;
- With online and mobile banking, Zia can serve members all over the country;
- In addition, as a member of Shared Branching, Zia Credit Union members can access their accounts at 5,000 other credit unions around the country, and use 30,000 ATMs fee-free;
- Zia’s local call center is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday to assist members when it’s convenient for them;
- The credit union also works closely with the Zia Credit Union Education Foundation to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors and educational opportunities to patients at UNM Children’s Hospital. Zia CU raises funds at its annual charity golf tournament, Chip in for Kids, which is scheduled this year for Aug. 25 at Los Alamos Golf Course; and
- Zia Credit Union is proud to sponsor and participate in many community events in Los Alamos and around northern New Mexico.
“I wish everyone would check out Zia Credit Union, as I truly feel we have a lot to offer to the community of Los Alamos. At Zia Credit Union, you’re not just a customer. When you join as a member, you actually own a share in the credit union. Our staff gets to know you and your financial needs, so that we can work with you now and into the future. At Zia Credit Union, we listen to you, lighten your load and light your path. That’s the Zia difference,” Zia CU President and CEO Dwayne Herrera said.
Laura Loy is VP of Marketing and Business Development.
“It’s been quite a ride since I joined Zia Credit Union in January, 2020. We upgraded our core system and online/mobile banking in early 2022. That was a lot of work for the entire Zia team, and a transition for our members, but our new systems allow us to offer much more in the way of technology to our members,” Loy said. “At our core though, we’re still a relational company. While we’re proud to offer all the conveniences of mobile and online banking, our commitment to serving our members and community has not waivered. We spent the better part of 2022 asking ourselves who are we and what do we do best. That translated into a new brand, logo and approach to serving our members. We call it ‘Lighting the Journey,’ for our members, employees and community. We welcome community members to visit one of our branches to talk about how we can help you light your journey!”
Learn more about Zia CU at www.ziacu.org.
