DALEVILLE, Ala.–The $1.2-billion Army Aviation Center FCU here has announced a name change, as well as a new merger.
In conjunction with its merger with Wiregrass FCU Army Aviation Center said it is changing its name to All In Credit Union.
“We’re changing our name, but not our commitment to our mission and our continued service to the soldiers of Fort Rucker whom we have partnered with for more than 52 years," AACFCU President/CEO Bobby Michael said in a statement. "Our new name, All In, allows us to broaden our membership and to continue to grow and expand to create enhanced financial services for everyone.”
The name change was overseen by Paul J. Lucas, a national marketing and branding consultant.
AACFCU said it has been considering a name change for years as the result of misunderstandings over who is eligible to join. Its field of membership now extends beyond Fort Rucker and it has five branches in the Mobile, Ala. market and 31 branches overall.
Confusion Over Eligibility
"We hear from people every day that our current name causes potential members to believe they cannot join," Michael said. "Because of this impediment to growth, we have been reviewing the possibility of a name change. When selecting a new corporate name, All In was chosen as a name that accurately depicted who the credit union is today."
With the new name also comes a new red and blue logo the credit union said is a tribute to the military community. All In Credit Union said it plans to create "legacy walls" at select branches "to pay homage to the credit union’s military background."
The process to decide the name change took three years, involved focus groups and had the approval of military members and the general public alike, according to the credit union.
Members of Merged CU to Receive Payout
Separately, by a 682-79 vote, members of the 7,063-member Wiregrass FCU have voted in favor of merging into All In CU. Wiregrass FCU members will receive loyalty awards deposited into their accounts as part of the merger, which could include loan-interest rebates, the credit unions said.
The three branches of the $49.7-million Wiregrass will become branches of All In Credit Union. Wiregrass FCU said its members will also gain access to improved online products and shared branching and ATM services, as well as in-house mortgage products.
While the merger will be finalized on March 1, the melding of financial systems will not happen until May 20, the credit unions said.
The Wiregrass FCU board issued a statement saying All In CU had a similar culture and “commitment to superior service and employee loyalty.” The board also noted regulatory burdens had become “challenging” for the small credit union.
Wiregrass FCU employees will not lose their jobs and will also receive a loyalty award based on a percentage of an employee’s salary, total years of service, and other aspects.