Jeanean Brown. Jessica Student at University of California, Davis. Are You Covered? Member Spotlight:

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1 W I N T E R I S S U E N O. 10 MEMBER PROFILE Member Spotlight: Jessica Student at University of California, Davis Jessica has been an EECU member since she was an infant. Her grandfather was a classified employee at Mendota Unified School District and Jessica was eligible to join EECU through him. She has received the EECU Student Grant multiple times and is currently a student at University of California, Davis. I began my school career at Hazel M. Bailey Elementary in Firebaugh and later attended Rio Vista and Central High School in Fresno. After graduating, Jessica moved to Davis, California to attend UC Davis. Thanks in part to the grant she received, Jessica is currently focusing her studies on primary medical care. (Cont. on Page 5) PRODUCT / SERVICE PROFILE Are You Covered? As an EECU member you can take advantage of the quick, convenient way to obtain auto and home insurance from a wide variety of leading insurance carriers through our partner, California Insurance Specialists (CIS). Get a free insurance quote by visiting myeecu.org and clicking on the insurance tab or call I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : P G. 2 P G. 3 P G. 4 P G. 5 P G. 6 Call for Candidates Manager Profile: Jeanean Brown 2011 in Review Direct Deposit Your Tax Refund Tax Preparation with TurboTax

2 W I N T E R Bulletin Board Holiday Hours In observance of the following, we will be closed: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, January 16 th Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, January 17 th. Presidents Day Monday, February 20 th Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, February 21 st. Upcoming Events February 4: Shred event at the Barstow Branch (from 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.) February 25: Shred event at the Visalia Branch (from 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.) March 10: Shred event at the Milburn Branch (from 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.) March 31: Shred event at the Clovis North Branch (from 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.) Month of March: March of Dimes Fundraiser donate to March of Dimes at any EECU branch. Call for Candidates EECU is now accepting applications for our annual election to the Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee, and our Associate Volunteer program. Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee Candidates: Our annual election to the Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee is May The deadline to submit a candidate application is February 17, The Nomination/Election Committee will review applications and interview potential candidates prior to placing names into nomination. Members who are not nominated may still seek election by submitting a petition containing the verified signatures of 100 credit union members. The petitions must be submitted by March 23, Three seats will be up for election on the Board of Directors, and two seats will be available on the Supervisory Committee (one three-year term and one two-year term). Members of the Board of Directors are responsible for directing and controlling the affairs of the credit union, exercising sound governance and leadership, and working closely with management to develop sound policies. The Supervisory Committee is responsible for ensuring rules/regulations are followed and internal controls are in place to protect the credit union. The Supervisory Committee is also responsible for selecting the credit union s external audit firm and overseeing the credit union s books and records. The Board of Directors may appoint up to three candidates to become associate volunteers. Associate Volunteers provide the credit union with an ongoing resource to provide qualified future candidates for Board and Supervisory Committee elections. Associate Volunteers will complete educational training, attend Board and Supervisory Committee meetings, participate in planning sessions, and fulfill other requirements of the position. Applicants must be members. Appointment to the Associate Volunteer program will be voted on by the Board of Directors. One-year terms begin in April Application Information and Requirements Prior to February 17, 2012, potential candidates for an elected or associate volunteer position must attend a scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Committee and an orientation session to review the responsibilities of the position. The meeting dates are listed below. Members interested in running for an elected or associate volunteer position must meet specific criteria for eligibility. For more information, please visit our web site, myeecu.org, call (559) , or write to: The Nomination/ Election Committee c/o Educational Employees Credit Union P.O. Box 5242 Fresno, CA Board of Directors Meeting Dates: January 24 th Supervisory Committee Meeting Dates: February 16 th Candidate Orientation Dates: February 15 th and 16 th Candidate Interview Dates: February 21 st, 22 nd, and 23 rd

3 MANAGER PROFILE We Take Our Managers Personally: Jeanean Brown Reedley Branch Manager Jeanean Brown is the branch manager at our Reedley Branch. She has been a branch manager for 17 years and has been employed at EECU for a total of 30 years. Throughout the years, Jeanean has held several positions within the credit union: loan counselor, loan supervisor, assistant branch manager and other branch manager positions. Something that most people don t know about Jeanean is that she loves to try new foods. I ll try anything once, and more often than not I wind up enjoying it I m not as adventurous as Andrew Zimmern, but if it looks good, I ll eat it, she said with a smile. When asked about her inspiration in both her personal and professional life, Jeanean said, Talking to people and learning about them. She finds it very interesting to meet new people and hear about their experiences. Wherever I travel, I try to strike up a conversation and it amazes me how willing people are to share their experiences and how much we can learn from them, she said excitedly. Jeanean has also had the opportunity to learn from both fellow employees and members and in turn has made lasting friendships. I have been very fortunate to have made lasting friends with people I have met and worked with at the credit union. Jeanean enjoys supporting charities and organizations that benefit the community, such as Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, Community Food Bank, When I Grow Up, and Foundation for Children Tomorrow. I recently volunteered as a mentor for a fifth grader at a local elementary school, she said. Jeanean has also volunteered for several years as a judge and test proctor for Academic Decathlon. I was excited to see the Hallmark Charter from Sanger make national championship in their division this year, she said. Aside from donating some of her free time to community organizations, Jeanean enjoys visiting new places and getting a sense of new people and their environments. She also enjoys watching the San Francisco Giants baseball team. I see the Giants as often as possible AT&T Park has to be the most beautiful park in the U.S., but I d like to see them all, she said.

4 The2011Year in Review: For People, Not Profit Credit Unions are for people, not profit. It s a simple, but powerful statement. At EECU, we take our members personally, and that means providing the best products, services, convenience and technology. EECU remains a well capitalized, safe and sound place to conduct your financial business. Over 10,000 people joined EECU last year, bringing our total membership to over 197,000. We experienced a surge in membership in the last four months of the year after several big banks announced their plans to begin charging monthly debit card fees. Although some of the banks reversed their position on the fee, many consumers decided that the damage was already done and were motivated to make a change. Many of them turned to credit unions, which reported higher new account openings than in previous months. In October 2011, we had a 60% increase in new accounts compared to the same month in We are thrilled to welcome so many new people to EECU, and we are ready to show them the credit union difference. EECU was recognized with several awards last year. We received the People s Choice Award for Best Credit Union and we were named Best Local Credit Union in the Fresno Magazine Best of Fresno Awards. Our Wise Up program received the first place Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award and the Richard Myles Johnson Foundation Beacon Youth Financial Education Award. We were named Outstanding Philanthropic Organization by the local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and we also received several other awards. We are honored to receive these awards and we will continue to work hard to earn and keep your business. In January 2011 EECU opened an ATM on the campus at Fresno State. Students and faculty now have convenient access to their EECU accounts. EECU is committed to keeping pace with technological changes so we can lower costs, improve efficiencies, and offer the products and services our members want. We converted to a new Online Access Home Banking system in August and member feedback about the new features and functionality has been very positive. Our new system not only has a new and improved look, but it also features an improved bill pay system, mobile-friendly banking, and FinanceWorks a powerful budgeting tool. Adoption of mobile banking has been strong, with over 10,000 users already accessing the home banking site via their mobile device. The new home banking system offers so many new and exciting advantages all at no cost to you. We pride ourselves on being an active partner in the communities we serve. In November 2010, Walmart initiated a fighting hunger together campaign on Facebook and EECU joined the action. Fresno was one of 100 cities across the U.S. in the running to benefit from a one million dollar donation from Walmart to local hunger relief organizations. At the end of the campaign, the city with the most likes on Facebook would receive one million dollars; the runners-up would receive $100,000. We posted the campaign on our EECU Facebook page and received 500 likes. In return, EECU donated $5,000 to local hunger relief agencies. Although Fresno didn t get the most votes, we did receive $100,000 and it was great to see the community unite toward a common goal. EECU continues to sponsor many education-related events throughout the communities we serve. Our financial literacy outreach program has been well-received in the community, and we are committed to educating our youth about the importance of good money management skills. We are in our 10 th year of providing educational grants to members pursuing higher education. To date, we have awarded $575,000 to help students with their education expenses. Last year our employees helped raise money for the Community Food Bank, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Soles4Souls, and many other worthy causes. Our members are the reason for our success, and we thank you for your loyalty and your trust in us. We look forward to serving you in Sincerely, Frank V. Powell Ph.D. Chair, EECU Board of Directors

5 MEMBER PROFILE Jessica (Cont. from Cover) When I was nine, my younger sister was born through emergency cesarean section. It was a very traumatic experience and it s what led me to the interest in medicine. Jessica is also a member and volunteer of Clínica Tepati. Clínica Tepati means healing clinic and is a student-run health clinic that offers services to the underserved population of Sacramento. Clínica [Tepati] means a lot to me because it provides medical assistance to those who otherwise could never afford it providing culturally and linguistically-sensitive care is important to the growing, diverse underserved groups and the health care future in this country, Jessica said. Jessica is a very active student and volunteer. During her free time she enjoys playing lacrosse for the UC Davis Women s Club team and enjoys working at a transit service in Davis as a bus driver and trainer. When asked who has been most influential in her life, she answered, My parents: They have taught me the importance of working hard, responsibility and the importance of making good choices without these values I wouldn t be as successful as I am. Jessica concluded, My family overall drives me to the person I am; they inspire me to do my best every day. Direct Deposit Your Tax Refund Tax season is right around the corner and many members are taking advantage of a quick and easy tax refund by using electronic filing (e-filing). E-filing allows you to transmit your tax return information directly to the IRS electronically. E-filing is a fast, accurate, and secure way to get your tax refund from the IRS. The traditional refund can take up to eight weeks to receive in the mail; with e-filing you ll receive your refund within an average of 10 days. Here s some information you ll need to direct deposit your refund: Routing Number Account Number Routing and transit number EECU s routing and transit number is Account Number You will first need to decide if your money will be deposited in your checking or savings account. > If you decide to deposit the refund in your checking account, select the appropriate box and enter your checking account number in the Do not include the check number space provided (refer to the check illustration). > If you would like to receive your refund in your savings account, then you will need your Share account number. Please call us for this number. E-filing definitely takes the worrying and the long wait out of tax reimbursement. If you need additional information please call EECU(3328).

6 Keeping Your Information Safe from Identity Theft Identity theft is an illegal crime that is committed against hundreds of people each day. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information to obtain access to your existing accounts, or open new accounts or credit lines in your name. Thieves may gain access to your personal information in a number of ways: Personal information stolen from your purse or wallet Home break in Automobile theft Dumpster diving (stealing trash with personal information from a residential or business trash receptacle) Personal information on your imprinted checks Medical or school records that are accessed by an untrustworthy employee Information you may provide to a fraudulent telemarketer Information you supply over the Internet Here are a few tips to help prevent identity theft: Request a credit report (from Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) at least twice a year. Shred any mail containing personal information before you throw it in the trash. Pay close attention to any suspicious charges on your checking account or credit card statements. Most importantly, if you have been a victim of identity theft, you should file a police report as soon as possible and alert one of the previously mentioned credit report companies. Always keep documentation of any telephone calls, receipts or correspondence related to the identity theft this will help protect you should you need to take your case to court. Published quarterly by: EDUCATIONAL EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION P.O. Box 5242 Fresno, CA Member Service Center EECU (3328) Website MEMBER DISCOUNT Tax Preparation with TurboTax EECU and TurboTax are making your tax preparation as easy as banking online! TurboTax is now available through our new home banking system. Not only can you save time with secure, automatic upload of account data, but you can also receive a 15% discount on TurboTax Federal (Deluxe, Premier, and Home and Business Edition) Redbeard /EDU-571 Federally Insured by NCUA EQUAL HOUSING LENDER