WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Wright-Patt Credit Union was honored by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base leadership Aug. 24 for going above and beyond in providing the local Air Force community with superior financial services and education.
John Faulkner, 88th Air Base Wing vice director, presented a plaque and certificate to Timothy Mislansky, WPCU president and chief executive officer, during a celebration at the Kittyhawk branch.
“Wright-Patterson Air Force Base depends on our mission partners, and Wright-Patt Credit Union is definitely a mission partner,” Faulkner said. “This is a heck of an accomplishment.”
Wright-Patt Credit Union has been named the 2022 Air Force Distinguished Credit Union of the Year by the Secretary of the Air Force Financial Management Office in the large asset category. The organization was commended for demonstrating excellent customer service and responsiveness to the WPAFB community’s needs during the past year.
WPCU competed against 42 defense credit unions across the Air Force and around the world. It is the first time the credit union was nominated for the award.
“Our team takes great pride in what we do here, and we really work hard to take care of people,” Mislansky said. “To our team, it’s an honor to come in every day to serve the people who serve our country.”
Stephen Northenor, 88th Comptroller Squadron deputy director, began working with WPCU over a year ago in positioning them to be competitive for the award nomination and noticed the institution was already doing more to support and serve the base’s Airmen than most defense credit unions – from partnering with Military and Family Readiness to host courses promoting financial readiness to providing services to assist Airmen with ending the cycle of predatory payday loans.
“The award is based on the services that directly impact the base community,” Northenor said. “It takes a lot of time to develop programs that target our specific audiences.”
Northenor also praised WPCU for going above and beyond for 88 CPTS and the installation by providing Treasury General Account deposits for six base agencies and carrying cash for emergency missions.
“It’s a huge benefit to us with no gain to them,” he said. “It is a lot of work on the credit union’s part, and we really appreciate that.”
WPCU sponsors numerous 88 ABW and installation events throughout the year. In 2022, it provided funding for events and outings benefiting the Air Force Marathon, Blue Star Families, Air Force Association, Air Force Sergeants Association and WYSO Veterans’ Voices series.
The credit union’s charitable giving arm, WPCU Sunshine Community Fund, works closely with nonprofits that help improve, strengthen and safeguard the financial security of vulnerable populations within the community. The fund has directly contributed to Wright-Patt’s military and veteran community through the Fisher House, Alzheimer’s Association Military Task Force, Air Force Assistance Fund and Artemis Center.
The roots of WPCU began in the early 1930s when union workers at Wright Field donated 25 cents apiece to a “shoebox fund” to assist fellow employees experiencing financial difficulties. In 1932, they received a charter from the state of Ohio, and the F.E.U. Local 148 Credit Union was established.
Over the next 90 years, the credit union has gone through several name changes and membership expansion to include federal employees, uniformed service members and certain community members.