Additional Resources
Who We Are
Looking to learn more about North Coast Credit Union? Please take a look around and be sure to let us know if you have any questions.
It all started at the Bellingham Firehouse on May 19, 1939 as the City of Bellingham Employees Credit Union. Back then, loans were made out of a single cash drawer kept in a desk at the Firehouse and a loan transaction might be interrupted when the fire bell rang.
Membership expanded in 1954 to include local postal and other public employees and we changed our name to Public Employees Credit Union in 1982.
In 1998, we changed our name to North Coast Credit Union to better reflect our community charter, which now includes anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in the state of Washington.
Today, we are committed to giving you, our more than 14,000 members, that rare combination of old-fashioned warm and personal service, innovative products and services and state-of-the-art technology.
In The Beginning
It all started at the Bellingham Firehouse on May 19, 1939 as the City of Bellingham Employees Credit Union. Back then, loans were made out of a single cash can kept in a desk at the Firehouse and a loan transaction might be interrupted when the fire bell rang.
We were founded just as the world was coming out of the Great Depression. A not-for-profit credit union helped City of Bellingham employees to pool their limited resources to help each other obtain the financial services they all needed, at affordable rates.
Today, anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in the state of Washington are invited to become members of North Coast Credit Union.
We are committed to giving you that rare combination of old-fashioned warm and personal service, innovative products and services and state-of-the-art technology.
Excellent Member Service
Here at North Coast Credit Union, excellent member service starts with our employees. Our employees have a heart to serve you. They have a desire to make a difference in your lives and in our communities. This fact is affirmed over and over again in your comments to our Board of Directors.
Membership is Ownership
We understand that our members are owners and our credit union exists solely for your benefit. Rather than selling a quota of products and services that you don’t need or want, our knowledgeable staff will listen to you and then suggest the best products and services to meet your unique needs and goals.
We Finance People, Not Collateral
We are in the relationship business. We have thrown out the “cookie cutter” approach to lending that is so prevalent today. Instead, we have returned to the “old school” way of lending, where decisions are based upon listening to you, analyzing and using our best judgment, not depending solely upon a computer generated number. It means that our lenders will use their knowledge, experience and expertise to make lending decisions and treat you like people, not just a loan application.
We Respond Quickly to an Identified Need in our Communities
When we see a need in our communities, we ask ourselves how can we help? The day after the Whatcom Middle School fire, we contacted school officials to ask how we could help. We are in process of collecting new school supplies and cash donations for them.
We have developed a number of products and services in response to an identified need in the communities we serve. For example, when we received numerous reports that local small businesses were being denied loans by their lenders in the wake of the 2009 economic downturn, we realized that we could step in and help. So, we created a Member Business Loan program, which fully utilizes our talented lending staff, with over 25 years of business lending experience.
When we heard reports that some banks were increasing interest rates and fees on their credit cardholders, even though they had never been late on their payments or gone over their limit, we developed our Smart Loan, a fair and honest credit card alternative.
With the dramatic cost increases in health care encroaching on everyone’s budget, we introduced Health Savings Accounts (HSA) for members who have a high-deductible health plan. HSAs encourage active participation in your own health care and preventative maintenance, reduces health care cost, allows savings to earn interest and accumulate over time, is portable, and the accumulated savings can be used in retirement.
The Personal Touch
We work hard and have fun doing it. We believe this creates an enjoyable atmosphere when you visit us by phone or in person. You are greeted with a smile as you come through the doors and we offer you coffee, cookies and candy. We all look forward to our annual meeting in the spring and membership BBQs in the summer, where we have a chance to get to know you a little better and show our appreciation for your support.
We want to be your primary financial institution, so we look for ways to say “yes” to your requests!
Accessibility
ATMs
As part of the credit union CO-Op Network, our members have surcharge-free access to any CO-OP Network ATM nationwide. You can make the following transactions at an ATM:
- Withdrawal cash
- Deposits (at designated ATMs)
- Transfers
- Check balances
- We do not charge our members when they use a non-CO-OP Network ATM
CO-OP Network Locations
28,000 Surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, including some 7-Eleven and Costco stores: CO-OPnetwork.org.
Additional Locations
Whatcom County Courthouse: 311 Grand Ave., Bellingham
Northwest Annex: 5280 Northwest Dr., Bellingham
North Coast Credit Union Branch Locations
1100 Dupont St., Bellingham – Accepts deposits
5657 Riverside Dr., Ferndale – Accepts deposits
108 N Township St., Sedro-Woolley – Accepts deposits
1410 Riverside Dr., Mount Vernon
Alternative Depository
Feel free to place your deposit or loan payment in the night deposit drop box located at any of our four branch locations. Transactions are processed weekday mornings, except holidays.
Local Call Center
Staffed by experienced, local North Coast Credit Union employees
(360) 733-3982 (Whatcom County)
(360) 428-1779 (Skagit County)
Toll free 1-800-696-8830
Home Banking
Whether you are at home, out and about, or traveling, you can access your accounts 24/7 from wherever you are at northcoastcu.com.
- Schedule and pay your bills
- Balance your checkbook
- Review transaction
- Transfer funds
- Make loan payments and advances
- Apply for loans
- Order checks
- Review your account statements
- Obtain copies of your posted checks
- Set up and receive customized account notifications
- Update your home, mailing or email addresses
- Open sub-accounts
- Change your password
- Report a lost/stolen debit or ATM card
- Obtain interest paid or dividends earned
Automated Telephone Account Access
Access to your accounts is as close as any telephone in the United States, U.S. Territories and Canada with CoastLine. You can make the following transactions using CoastLine:
(360) 733-3000 (Whatcom County)
(360) 395-4000 (Skagit County)
Toll free 1-877-304-4728
- Check your savings, checking and loan balances
- Transfer funds between your North Coast accounts
- Review recent transaction history
- Make loan payments and advances
- Get your loan and payoff information
- Check your loan and mortgage history
- Change your password
- Report a lost/stolen debit or ATM card
- Obtain interest paid or dividends earned
Personal Appointments
Your time is priceless and we respect that. Call us to schedule a personal appointment to:
- Discuss what products and services will best meet your needs
- Open accounts
- Renew a Certificate of Deposit
- Process a loan
- Identify and correct a problem
- Help balance your checkbook
- Learn more about and/or help you sign up for Home Banking or Bill Pay
- Learn more about and/or open a Health Savings Account
- Meet with a Financial Services Representative to discuss all your financial goals
Education
Education is a way of life for us at North Coast Credit Union. It is inherent in the relationships we have with our members. In addition we offer to conduct financial literacy seminars for local schools and for our Select Employee Groups and Community Builders Groups. We also provide our members with debt counseling services through Balance.
Credit Union Movement
We believe in the credit union movement, its purpose and principles and we work to preserve and promote it as follows:
- Cash contributions to the Washington State Credit Union Legal Action Fund
- Our President/CEO serves on the board of directors for the Washington Credit Union League
- Mutual cooperation with other credit unions, including participation in President/CEO ListServe, credit union networking and other information-sharing opportunities
- Active involvement with state and local government affairs conferences
- Annual representation at the national CUNA governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington D.C.
Community Support
While our first priority is to our members, North Coast Credit Union is committed to supporting our communities. We have a community support team, comprised of volunteer staff and management who coordinate our sweat equity and/or financial community support events.
Bite of Skagit is our annual signature event that we organize, finance and host. It is a fundraiser for the benefit of the Skagit Food Share Alliance (SFSA), which is a collaborative partnership between North Coast Credit Union and the Skagit County Community Action Agency (SCCAA).
Skagit Food Share Alliance pays local farmers to grow fresh produce specifically for Skagit County food banks, giving more nutritional options to food bank patrons. SFSA’s motto is “Supporting local agriculture; ending local hunger.”
Here are some of the additional ways we support our communities:
- United Way of Whatcom and Skagit counties
- Whatcom County Relay for Life
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellingham and Ferndale
- Health Support Center of Bellingham
- Dorothy Place of Bellingham
- Bellingham Police Association
- Red Cross of Whatcom County
- Hospice of Skagit County
- United General Hospital Cancer Care Center
- Jingle Bell Run of Whatcom County
- Law Advocates of Whatcom County
- Big Brothers, Big Sisters
- Skagit Kid’s Fest
- Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program
- Financial literacy education
- Community Builders Group account benefits for employees of non-profit organizations
The Credit Union Difference
Not for Profit, not for Charity, but for ServiceCredit Unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives, owned by the people who choose to be a part of them. A simple way to think of a credit union is that it’s a place where members of a community can pool their financial resources for the benefit of one another.
While banks exist primarily to increase the wealth of their stockholders, credit unions exist solely for the benefit of their member / owners. Credit unions were originally started as community-based financial cooperatives. They afforded people of modest means a way to work together with their neighbors or co-workers to provide one another with the savings and borrowing products they all needed to realize their own goals and dreams at a price they could afford.
It really isn’t any different today. A credit union is still a place where members of a community can come together and combine financial resources for the benefit of our families, friends and neighbors. By one member saving for her daughter’s college education, the funds are available for her neighbor to put a new roof on his home. By another member saving for his retirement years, another member is able to borrow enough to purchase their dream home.
Membership
By current federal statute, credit unions are not permitted to serve the general public. People must qualify for credit union membership through their employer, school district, organizational affiliations or through a community-charter.
Under a community-chartered credit union, anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in the community where the credit union is chartered may qualify for membership.
Governance
A credit union’s board of directors is made up of qualified members of that credit union who volunteer and are elected by a vote of the membership to serve on the board. By statute, credit union volunteers do not receive compensation for their service.
Taxes
Credit union detractors often claim that credit unions “do not pay taxes.” To the contrary, credit unions do pay taxes – payroll taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes. Congress exempts credit union’s from federal income taxes because, unlike most financial institutions, credit unions are member-owned, democratically operated, not-for-profit organizations managed by volunteer boards of directors and because they have the specified mission of meeting the credit and savings needs of consumers, especially persons of modest means.
What makes a credit union different from a bank?
Because credit unions exist to serve their members, and not to make a profit for shareholders, credit unions do not typically engage in the types of risky mortgage lending that led to the recent financial crises. Nor, do credit unions inflate their credit card interest rates and fees like many banks are reported doing.
You can trust your credit union to look out for your best interest with fair and honest products. No tricks or gimmicks.
Products and Services
We are a full service credit union. We are always looking for new innovative ways to enhance our products and services to meet your changing needs.
Checking Accounts
- Convenience Checking
- Choice Checking
- Money Market Checking
- Smart Checking (to qualified members)
Savings Accounts
- Savings
- Money Market Savings
- Youth Savings (with report card rewards)
- Health Savings Accounts
Certificates of Deposit
- Varying terms and rates
- 3-month Build a CD (for qualified SEG and Community Builder members)
- 12-month Youth Build a CD (under 18 years of age)
- Roth IRA/IRA accounts in varying terms and rates
Loans
Real Estate Loans
- Mortgage loans
- Home equity loans or lines of credit (with debit card access options)
- Construction and remodeling loans
- Bridge loans
- Lot/land loans
- Manufactured home loans
- Jumbo loans
Consumer Loans
- Smart Loans (a fair and honest credit card alternative)
- Personal loans and lines of credit (with overdraft and debit card and check access options)
- New and used auto loans
- Recreational vehicle loans (boats, RV’s, )
- Motorcycle, snow mobile, riding lawn mowers, off-road vehicles
- Non real estate home improvement loans
- Credit Builder loans
- Miscellaneous secured loans
Special Programs
- Select Employee Group (SEG) (employees of an employer who has signed up as a SEG)
- Community Builder Group (CBG) (for employees of non-profit organizations)
- Platinum Members (Age 50 or more with avg. deposit balance of $5,000 or more)
- Silver Members with report card rewards (age 13 – 17)
- Bronze Members with report card rewards (age 12 and under)
Services
- ATM/Debit cards
- Direct deposit
- Loan payment transfers
- Overdraft protection
- Wire transfers
- Notary Public
- Postage stamps
- Cashier’s checks
- Financial debt counseling through Balance
Financial Services
We are the only credit union in the communities we serve who offers free financial services for our members:
- Licensed Financial Professional
- Review of all your financial goals
- Custom designed financial strategies to achieve your goals
- Investment and retirement planning
Business Accounts
In our current economic environment, many banks are choosing not to do small business lending. With more than 25 years of commercial lending experience, we are proud to support local small businesses by offering a full array of business products:
- Business savings and checking accounts
- Lines of Credit (with overdraft and debit card and check access options)
- Signature loans
- New/Used business vehicle loans
- Heavy Equipment loans
- Miscellaneous secured loans
- Commercial real estate loans
Our members vote to elect our Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee from the membership. By law, elected members may not be compensated for their service to the credit union. They serve a three-year term and may run for successive terms.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Board of Directors are responsible for the strategic direction of the credit union, hiring and management of the President/CEO, compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and they have a duty to work in the best interest of the members of the credit union.
Our Board and management share the responsibility for setting policy, strategic planning, budget creation and general oversight of asset liability management and other critical functions of the credit union.
- Thom Kroll, Chair
- Jim Haehn, Vice Chair
- Barb McGrady, Secretary
- Phil Serka
- Stan Snapp
- Rick Sucee
- Sandra Vargas
- Randall Watts
Supervisory Committee
Our Supervisory Committee functions independently from the Board of Directors and management, serving as a check and balance to the Board.
They are responsible for ensuring the safety and soundness of the credit union. The committee also monitors the actions and decisions of the Board and management and perform a variety of audit and similar investigative activities.
- Kim Herrenkohl, Chair
- Doug Scholten, Vice-Chair
- Mick Moynihan, Secretary
- Cheryl Wolf
- Sheryl Cartwright
