By Melissa Ross, Marketing & Membership Director, Laramie Chamber Business Alliance
This month the Laramie Plains Federal Credit Union (LPFCU) was awarded the Laramie Chamber Business Alliance’s ‘Business of the Month’.
We met with Tyler Valentine, the President/CEO and Denise Deem, the Marketing and Business Development Manager. Laramie Plains Federal Credit Union was established in 1935 by 10 railroad employees and their family members.
“We are the oldest credit union in Laramie, one of the first in the country. We have been here since July 26, 1935…84 years,” stated Valentine.
Now, the LPFCU serves the residents of Albany, Carbon, and Platte Counties in Wyoming and Jackson County in Colorado.
LPFCU is actively involved in the community with a big focus on helping school-aged children through their Friday Backpack programs. “We partner with the other 3 Laramie Credit Unions and do two United for Good campaigns a year. The first one is a food drive in April for the Friday Backpack Program which Albany County School District sends a backpack of food home with students over the weekend who have food insecurities. This timing helps fill the need at the end of the school year.”
Another program focuses on sending care packages to military troops. “We do one before Veterans Day where we collect food and other items for deployed service members that don’t have family member support and with that, we partner with Operation Shoe Box to get those items to those military members,” said Valentine.
“We have our Friday Delights program that is going on right now, where any non-profit organization (they do not have to be a member here) can come and do a fundraiser at either branch,” said Deem, “As well as, marketing the event for them, we match up to $100 of their sales.” “We had several people take advantage of it last year and are returning this year,” added Valentine.
“We really encourage and support all of our staff to volunteer and be active in the community. Most of us sit on a community board,” added Deem
“I sit on Laramie Soup Kitchen, Tyler on Hospice of Laramie, Julie with Family Promise…along with several of our staff members who donate a lot of their time to these boards.” “Staff members donated over 2,000 hours of their time to the community and the credit union donated $20,000, which is 10% of our net income back to the community, for donations to non-profits,” stated Valentine.
“At least once a month we are doing something,” said Deem.
365 N 3rd St, Laramie, WY 82072
(307) 745-5365
https://www.laramieplainsfcu.com/