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Helping Grads Live Better Financial Lives

Pamela Heald headshot
Posted in President's Corner

July 2019

There’s an excitement about the school year coming to a close, with graduation ceremonies marking not the end of learning, but the beginning of a future filled with endless possibilities.

When we at the credit union think about all of those possibilities, we look forward to the many firsts that we’re sure to be a part of, as students go out into the world:

A graduate buying his first car before heading off to college, coming to Reliant because his parents knew he’d get the lowest auto loan rates through us. Another who landed her first job and now has direct deposit for the first time, who wanted an account she could access from her smartphone. The recent grad who’s thrilled to have gotten into his first-choice school, and will need some student loans to help bridge the gap between the full cost of school and what scholarships/financial aid will cover.

Even though we hear great stories like those every day, there are still countless opportunities for the credit union to make a difference in the lives of our young members. A friend overheard a family recently, discussing their daughter’s plans for the fall. She’ll be heading off to college in another state, and her parents wondered whether she should open an account at a large national bank, to ensure she’ll have access to her money at school.

When I hear stories like that, I see how much opportunity we have to remind our members about how accessible a Reliant account is, no matter where you are. There are so many ways to access a Reliant account outside of our area—online banking, our mobile app, and shared branching, to name a few—and even with that accessibility, our members know that their money is being taken care of by their friendly, local credit union.

I can’t help but use this opportunity to ask you, our loyal members, to be the advocates who’ll share the many benefits of Reliant membership with friends and family—in particular at this time of year, with those you know who have just graduated and are going out into the world. I know that many of you already do—our members are truly our best cheerleaders—and for that, I thank you!

Together, we can help recent graduates live their best financial lives.

Pamela Heald
President & CEO

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