Last year, Forest Kraft Credit Union changed names and became Centric. The credit union was looking to appeal to a broader segment of the community by differentiating themselves in a crowded financial market with a unique name. Furthermore, the credit union wanted to dispel the assumption that it was only open to employees of Forest Kraft. The name change process took over 11 months from conception to official roll out. Now, a year later, the transformation is complete.

Centric contracted with LEVEL⁵ for its strategic consulting, real estate, integrated design, construction management and branding. LEVEL⁵, a consulting and facilities development firm specializing in financial institutions, worked with the credit union on a strategic plan focused on the best opportunities to reflect the credit union’s philosophy, approach and budget.

Centric and LEVEL⁵ also partnered with Sky Design for the rebranding and identity redesign. “It was a collaborative process between all three parties,” Greg Allen, Director of Marketing/LEVEL⁵, told The Financial Brand.

LEVEL⁵ then implemented the new brand into Centric’s branch environments.

The Financial Brand wrote about two other LEVEL⁵ projects last year — one story about Auburn FCU’s brand and branch revamp, and another about a modern BRANCH DESIGN for Delta Community Credit Union.

Centric Credit Union, based in West Monroe, Louisiana, has $83 million in assets and 11,500 members.

Old Name & Logo
Established in 1937 to originally serve the community’s paper mill employees, Forest Kraft expanded to a multi-SEG credit union in 1996 when it merged with a hospital-based credit union.

Centric Name, Logo & Slogan
The name reflects the credit union’s roots serving the lumber industry. The concentric circles of a tree serve as the inspiration for both the name and the logo. Centric’s new slogan is, “Grounded in Tradition. Growing in Opportunity.” In excess of 300 names were evaluated, from which a short list of 20 were picked. Six rose to the top and joined a priority list for the final selection process. There are currently plans to secure a federal trademark on the Centric name.

Dialog Delivery
LEVEL⁵ calls the Centric BRANCH DESIGN a “dialog delivery” layout, something that “enables employees to better serve members and handle transactions in a more retail-oriented environment rather than traditional branches with teller lines.”

New Centric Website

The old logo is dated
and looks very official,
like a notary’s seal.
The new, contemporary
logo draws off shapes
found in the building.

Auburn University FCU’s latest branch and new headquarters shuns traditional teller lines by opting for what they call a “dialogue delivery format,” in which members and member service representatives work closely together in a teller pod environment to complete transactions.

The teller center consolidates pneumatic tubes that serve both the drive-up lanes and the lobby’s member service stations, increasing teller efficiency while reducing the number of employees needed to meet member demand. Additionally, the teller center contains a cash recycler that greatly reduces the time required for teller end-of-day balancing.

LEVEL⁵, a consulting and facilities development firm specializing in financial institutions, was responsible for the project. The firm says the new layout not only benefits employees with enhanced workflow, but it minimizes wait times for members as well.

LEVEL⁵ provided training to credit union employees to ensure the staff was prepared for this new delivery channel.

Interior view.

Two teller pods. Each can be staffed by two employees, or four total.
Notice the subtle lettering inside the the circular soffit over the teller pods.

“Our new dialogue delivery environment provides a more intimate level of member service.”
– Henry Armstrong,
CEO/Auburn U FCU

“Our new dialogue delivery environment provides a more intimate level of member service,” said Henry Armstrong, CEO/Auburn University FCU.

“Branding throughout the facility, as well as in our print and online collateral, reinforces the identity of our credit union,” he continued.

AUFCU’s new headquarters also has safe deposit boxes housed in a biometrically controlled vault, which eliminates the need for staff to access the vault.

The branch includes four drive-up teller lanes and a drive-up ATM.

In addition to providing support in the headquarter’s retail MERCHANDISING, LEVEL⁵ and their branding partner, SkyDesign, worked with the credit union’s executives to design and develop a complete branding package, including a new website design, print collateral, branding standards and more.

Auburn University FCU has $105 million in assets and almost 15,000 members.

The grand opening of the branch, located one-quarter mile from Auburn University’s campus, led to the busiest day in the credit union’s 48-year history.

The latest branch for Delta Community Credit Union, its tenth, features an open floor plan starring a greeter station in the middle of all the action. The branch’s operational model is similar to the one used in many Bank of America locations.

The credit union will occupy 10,000 of the building’s 100,000 square feet and lease another 80,000 as medical offices. A 10,000-square-foot atrium in the middle of the building connects the credit union with a restaurant and medical offices.

Other features of the branch include:

• High, sweeping ceilings
• Few enclosed offices
• Floor-to-ceiling windows
• Lots of white space with bursts of bold retail graphics
• 4 drive-through lanes

Occupancy in the three-story building is expected in May 2008.

Delta Community is the largest credit union in Georgia, with more than 166,000 members and more than $2.5 billion in assets. The credit union just recently completed a rebranding effort (previous coverage from The Financial Brand here).

Level5, also based in Georgia, was the design-build firm on the project.