Credit union to grow with Symitar’s core and digital technology, bringing financial literacy and education to underserved rural areas
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. is a leading provider of technology solutions and payment processing services primarily for the financial services industry. Its Symitar® division announced that Wyo.-based Sunlight FCU has converted to Symitar’s core, adding additional efficiencies through a cloud-based model and expanding its digital capabilities with the Banno Digital Platform™.
Sunlight FCU was looking for a core that offered more options for both employees and members. Efficiency was a driving factor as the previous core had many manual processes, plus there was an increased need to have less hardware to manage and maintain in-house. The credit union began the process in April 2020, as the entire country was transitioning to a Covid-19 remote working environment. The team felt confident in Jack Henry’s talent, technology and value proposition, choosing to move forward with a partner that would enable growth and automation.
Selecting Jack Henry’s private cloud environment supports two major goals of the credit union: supporting its growing field of membership with scale and promoting financial literacy in schools. Historically, rural communities have lacked a credit union presence and Sunlight wants to offer this option, starting with its expansion into northern Colorado and southern Montana. Jack Henry’s cloud hosted solution powers the credit unions ability to remotely open accounts for new members. Teaching financial literacy at schools and providing financial resources to these new communities are an integral part of the expansion.
Steve Pearson, CEO of the credit union said, “We look forward to the new functionality and digital capabilities that we can bring to our members and new communities. Everyone should have access to the benefits, education and personal service that credit unions provide. Thanks to Jack Henry, we’re able to extend that service into new markets, enabling our credit union to fulfill its mission while adhering to the highest standards of service.”
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In addition to its geographic expansion, Sunlight FCU is also dedicated to attracting and retaining a younger generation of members. The credit union leverages Jack Henry’s digital banking platform to meet the modern needs of all members, especially this generation, with improved mobile and online banking experiences. They offer digital access and money movement that is competitive with even the largest banks.
Shanon McLachlan, vice president of Jack Henry and president of Symitar, said, “We believe in Sunlight FCU’s mission to provide superior financial services to all communities – regardless of location, demographic or age. Upgrading their core operations to our platform and private cloud allows the credit union to fully focus on making a difference in the financial lives of their existing and prospective members. We’re proud to be part of this strategy to improve the financial health and access of many generations to come.”
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