Utah Heritage Credit Union eager to

show off Ephraim branch

Suzanne Dean

Publisher

7/26/2018

            EPHRAIM—Utah Heritage Credit Union will hold a grand opening on Tuesday, July 31 for its new Ephraim branch at 268 S. Main, including a ribbon cutting and free lunch for the community.

Prize drawings begin and 11:30 a.m., and everyone attending can receive a ticket, according to Greg Sterner, vice president of lending. The biggest prize will be a Camp Chef pellet grill

At noon, credit union officials will cut a ribbon signifying completion of the new branch. A lunch of pulled pork sandwiches will follow and continue until 1:30 p.m.

Credit union staff moved into the new building the first week of March. “But we wanted to hold off on the grand opening until the landscaping was in. Everything’s all finished now,” Sterner said.

The first step in creating the new branch was demolition of a one-time house where loan officers were located in April 2017. The lending functions moved into the banking branch next door.

Nearly a year later, the new building was sufficiently complete to enable both lending and banking staff to move in. The credit union started serving customers in the new facility. About one month later, the original branch office, also located in a one-time house, was torn down.

Completion of the new branch has enabled the credit union to centralize all lending, including auto, personal, construction, mortgage and business loans, Sterner said. Previously, some types of loans were handled at UHCU headquarters in Moroni.

“Combining banking operations and lending in one building is a big step forward,” Sterner says.

The most notable feature of the new building is tall windows on the east side that let in a lot of sunlight, Sterner says. The building also has a sizeable lobby with updated furniture.

Another feature, still being completed, is a room on the north side of the building near the teller stations. Eventually, it will have computers and I-pads patrons can use for electronic banking.

The building has five private offices on the main floor with finished space in the basement where more offices can be added in the future as the credit union grows.