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December 2011


A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO - John Hirabayashi As we wrap up the year, I am pleased to announce the addition of our new Lakewood Branch in a growing area of Jacksonville. Located at 1670 University Blvd. W, this branch features a drive-thru and walk-up ATM. We’ve heard nothing but good feedback from members who express their delight at the new state-of-the-art building. from the CEO: The rest of the story One of our greatest achievements in 2011 was surpassing our Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) of achieving a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 80.00%. NPS is a nationally recognized barometer of service quality that measures how likely a member will refer us to a friend, family member or coworker. Achieving this goal puts us among a very elite group of financial institutions and reflects our efforts over the past five years to systematically improve our member service experience. I am very proud of the efforts of staff and volunteers to make achieving this goal a reality! With 2011 proving to be a year of upward growth and concentrated team efforts, it only makes sense that our employee giving reached an unexpected peak. It’s nothing new for Community First employees to take on great causes and do ingenious feats to accomplish them, like having pie-throwing contests at the bosses or paying to have the CEO wash your car! But I have to say I was deeply moved by the generosity of our group as I, along with our Employee Engagement Committee, set a 2011 – 2012 goal of $30,000 to give to our local United Way Community Fund. I am thrilled to tell you that we far surpassed this goal and raised a total of $39,466.56! During the same quarter our employees raised over $14,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk. I would like to thank the Community First crew for the enthusiastic support of this year’s United Way Campaign and the Light the Night Walk. Thanks for all that you do to improve the lives of people living in Northeast Florida. I’d be remiss if I told you about the new without also stressing the importance of the familiar. I watched with empathy the public outcry against the big banks in the fall for their plans to levy fees on debit accounts and debit card transactions. It makes no sense for consumers to have to start paying for a service that generates revenue for the financial institution! At Community First we have reaffirmed our decision to not charge fees for debit accounts or debit card transactions. That means no monthly fees! As a not-for-profit cooperative, Community First is committed to allowing consumers to keep more of their own money, especially in these tough economic times. Now more than ever I encourage you to look at what it currently costs to bank with your financial institution and compare it to what you could save by doing more of your business with Community First, your familiar, trusted financial advisor. So as we enter the last days of the year, I’d like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a happy New year! John Hirabayashi
Community First & MOSH Partner To Help Local Teachers Community First Credit Union and the Museum of Science & History (MOSH) have partnered to launch the new “Teaching Outsidethe Box” program. MOSH: The rest of the story … “Teaching Outside the Box” provides teachers throughout the First Coast free access to boxes filled with hands-on educational materials and learning guides in subjects like Science, History and Health. There is a variety of topics available, such as Astronomy, Grossology and "Hats Off to Jacksonville." Boxes are designed for use in second through sixth grade and meet a variety of Sunshine State Standards. The program was started to bring hands-on learning materials into the classroom, but more importantly, to meet community need. “We know school budgets are really tight right now, and many teachers don’t have the option of bringing their students on a field trip to MOSH,” said Community First CEO John Hirabayashi. “This program will bring the joy of the museum to all teachers and students within their classrooms.” Teachers can reserve a box for their classroom for two weeks, and all boxes can be picked up and dropped off at MOSH. Duval County Public Schools can even receive the boxes through the school mail system. To reserve a box, teachers just need to call (904) 396-6674 ext. 226. “We hope these boxes ignite a passion in students to learn more about the subject matter,” said MOSH School Programs Manager Eddie Whisler. “Hands-on learning is a very powerful and impactful tool for education.”
Zag - A Whole New Approach To Buying a Car! Community First rolled out ZAG, an Internet-based car buying service. Receive the benefits of group buying power and enjoy low prices and great service from a hand-picked network of certified dealers, along with a no-hassle buying experience. Zag: The rest of the story ... Using Zag, Community First members are able to locate the best local price for thousands of vehicle makes and models, using the customized Member Showroom platform. This service is specifically designed to help members discover what others paid for their car and then receive an even better price. “This is a tremendous benefit to our members,” said Community First CEO John Hirabayashi. “I recently used this service myself and was impressed by the amount of money I saved, as well as the convenience of shopping online.” To date, over 350,000 vehicles have been purchased through ZAG – saving consumers over $1 billion off Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). Start your tour of the Zag site now, or start at our Auto Buying Service page where you’ll find valuable tools and resources to help you in your search. And remember that Community First is at your service, offering convenient auto loans that work within your budget.
A New Rewards Program Is in Town Community First recently launched the UChoose Rewards program. Members can earn points at their favorite stores and redeem points that can be used for travel or to purchase a wide variety of products and services. UChoose: The rest of the story … There’s just one catch: you must register in the new program to start earning points. By registering, you also retain any points accumulated under the previous CURewards program. Why Must I Register? *You must register to begin earning points. Register today! You must register to start earning points in the new program (even if you are already enrolled in the existing Rewards program). For each day that goes by without registering, you won’t earn any points. So, REGISTER ASAP to begin earning those valuable points you love so much! Remember, you can’t redeem points that you don’t have! Register today and start earning points good for fabulous products, travel and more. By registering, you carry over your previous CURewards points.* A second reason to register in the new UChoose Rewards program is if you have unused CURewards points that you want to keep and carry over. Register by Feb 7, 2012, to retain and transfer those points. If you do not register, all unused points from the old CURewards program will be forfeited. So, REGISTER ASAP. To register online today, visit the UChoose Rewards Website now. *Registration is only required once.
Safeguard Against Fraud in 2012 Consumers face a number of threats to their banking and credit card information. One of the biggest is “phishing,” according to a recent study by PSCU Financial Services, a leading provider of financial services to credit unions. Security Tip: The rest of the story … In phishing scams, fraudsters attempt to acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account information by using e-mails or fake Websites, which often look as though they were created by trusted sources like your financial institution. A member receives an e-mail pretending to be from the consumer’s bank or credit union, even including the institution’s familiar format and logo. The e-mail claims that the member needs to correct a problem with the account, such as a security breach. When the consumer clicks on the link in the e-mail, malware may be downloaded that can capture sensitive information, or it may direct users to a fake Website, which requests similarly sensitive information. Computer users who conduct financial transactions online should, at a minimum, keep their virus and malware protection up-to-date. Additionally, members should never click on suspicious e-mails—those that have blurry logos or typos, for example—or on Websites if they’re not positive the site is legitimate. No reputable financial institution, including Community First, will ask members for passwords or other sensitive information via e-mail. Any suspicious activity of this nature should be reported to your financial institution.
Statements: Paper or Electronic? Why it matters to you With most financial institutions offering statements in electronic form these days, and with the pros for eStatements heavily outweighing the cons, we wonder why paper statements are a viable option any more. Find out if eStatements are right for you AND how to win an iPad2 ... Generations of consumers have grown accustomed to receiving their monthly financial statements on paper. For many, having something tangible to hold, review, and file for future reference is both familiar and reassuring. When Forrester Research asked internet users last year why they hadn’t signed up to receive electronic statements for their checking accounts, the No. 1 reason, cited by 46% of the respondents, was that they wanted a paper version to keep for their records. Another 22% blamed procrastination. After that, their most commonly cited concerns were about the security and privacy of their data, including the fear that they might lose important information if their computers crashed. Community First allows members to view at least two years of statements online. We also allow members to print and save hard copies of their statements and save electronic versions on their own PCs or using a variety of portable media. Meanwhile, contrary to what some consumers fear, eStatements are actually more secure than their paper counterparts. To access a paper statement, a thief need only grab it from the recipient’s mailbox or retrieve it from the trash. By contrast, electronic statements, accessed via a Web portal, are protected by passwords and accessible only through secure connections. In short, eStatements don’t compromise security, they promote it. Beyond countering misperceptions about security and access,the many additional benefits of eStatements include: Switching might win you an ipad2! If you make the switch, you will be automatically entered to win an iPad2! We believe so strongly that paper is a thing of the past, that we are giving away an iPad2 in a random drawing of all who enroll in eStatements. No purchase necessary. See official rules below. Access anytime, anywhere eStatements give you immediate access to your statements, rather than waiting several days to receive a hard copy in the mail. Signing up for electronic statements lets you view your statement anytime and anywhere you have access to the Internet. Going green. If you are concerned about the environment, switching from paper to electronic statements eliminates the consumption of paper and ink, as well as the energy required to produce and deliver them. By making the switch, you also reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills. Cutting clutter eStatements don’t just minimize the consumption of landfill space, they also minimize the consumption of space in your home by minimizing the need for boxes or filing cabinets to store paper records. Indeed, reducing clutter has become the No. 1 reason consumers choose to get rid of paper statements in favor of eStatements. Community First is dedicated to making your life convenient, while saving costs and improving the health of our planet. For these reasons and those listed above, we encourage you to convert to eStatements today. To convert to eStatements, log in to Online Banking, click the “eStatements” tab, and choose the “Please enroll me” selection under“Statement Options.” For help with the process to switch from paper to eStatements, call a Member Service Representative at 904.354.8537 or 800.342.8416. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Giveaway is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulation, and is void wherever prohibited or restricted by law. All entrants must be a member in good standing and have a valid e-mail on file and be signed up for eStatements by midnight on the last day of the month in question. The drawing will take place at approximately 5 p.m. on the first day of the month following the month in question. Winners will be notified by e-mail only, with a maximum of two e-mail reminders, and have 7 days to respond and claim prize. Member name will remain in the drawing pool until their name is selected or the campaign ends. One entry per account. Entrant must be at least 18 years old. Community First employees, immediate family members, volunteers, third party vendor/affiliates and their household members are not eligible to win. You cannot enter to win for another person.
ATM Network Changes Planned for January Community First Credit Union will no longer be affiliated with the Credit Union Here® and Credit Union 24® networks, effective January 10, 2012. ATM Changes: How will this affect you … Currently when you use ATMs with the CU-Here and CU-24 logo, you do not pay a surcharge on ATM transactions. However, beginning January 10, 2012, this will change. Transactions you perform on these machines will be subject to a surcharge. Surcharge-free options still available to you Even with this change, there is a variety of surcharge-free ATM options available to you, including: Using any Community First ATM Using any CO-OP® network ATM Using any Publix ATM Using any Navy Federal or Jax Federal Credit Union ATM Choosing “cash back” when you use your Community First Visa® Debit Card to make a purchase at participating retailers To find a surcharge-free ATM near you: Visit us online at www.CommunityFirstFL.org/about-us/locations Use Community First’s free Mobile Banking service on any Web-enabled phone, tablet, or other device Call a Member Service Representative at 904.354.8537 or 800.342.8416.


Your savings are federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. The National Credit Union Administration is a U.S. Government Agency.