Neighbors Opens New Central Branch

Neighbors Opens New Central Branch

CENTRAL — Neighbors Federal Credit Union held Grand Opening ceremonies Tuesday morning for its new $3 million branch office at the corner of Wax and Sullivan.

President Kathi Gill said Neighbors felt the investment was needed to serve the credit union’s more than 4,500 members in the Central area.  Neighbors’ member base in Central has tripled since opening its first Central branch at 13336 Hooper Rd. in August 2001.  At that time, it had 1,300 Central members.  Neighbors, which began in 1954 as the Baton Rouge Teachers Federal Credit Union, is now the largest Federal credit union in Louisiana and the sixth largest financial institution in East Baton Rouge Parish.  It has $550 million in assets.

Tuesday’s Grand Opening drew a large crowd to the new facility.  Neighbors’ officials on hand included Chief Operating Officer Steve Webb, Chief Administrative Officer and Branch Manager Trisha Prilleux.

A Neighbors’ official who is well known in Central is Graydon Walker, who was one of the original founders of the credit union in 1954 and who has served on the Board of Directors for 54 years.  In an interview afterwards, Mr. Walker recalled teachers putting up $5.25 each to help start the credit union.  “We kept the money in a shoebox!” he laughed.

Another Central native, Jason Knapp, is a financial planner for members.  The branch will be open until 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursday.

Neighbors offers full services to members of other credit unions, and they can use the branch at any time.  Virtually anyone who resides in the Baton Rouge area is eligible for membership for a nominal fee.

Graydon Walker says the credit union started with a simple motto: “Not for profit but for service”  And that’s still true today, he said.

— By Woody Jenkins, Editor

 

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