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Leominster Credit Union

Credit union donations grow mentor program for girls

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CLINTON — Earlier this summer an enthusiastic crowd gathered outside a branch of the Leominster Credit Union to show their appreciation for the continued donations that both helped the REAL Mentors girls’ program start up and continue to grow the program.

LCU has been donating funds to the program since it began in 2021, about 4 years after the same program for boys had started.

“LCU’s continued support of the REAL Mentors Program is something we all greatly appreciate. So, we came to their front door in Clinton to thank them,” said John Reedy, a board member of both LCU and R.E.AL. Youth Connections (RYC), the parent program for both boys and girls.

LCU President and CEO Barbara Mahoney presented a $5,000 check on Aug. 9 this past summer. On hand to receive the check were Mary-Sarah Loosemore, director of girls’ programs, and mentees Adamaris Rivera and Kelsey Fuller. Mentors and members from RYC, along with staff and several board members from LCU, were also in attendance to acknowledge LCU’s contribution and community support.

“We regularly look for opportunities to assist programs and initiatives within our communities as they carry out their mission,” Mahoney said. “We were very excited to contribute to the REAL Mentors program and support the great work they do with local youth. ‘People helping people’ is the credit union motto, and we embrace this philosophy in giving back to those we serve.”

The REAL Mentors Program provides after-school group mentorship programs for middle school girls and boys. During the school year, mentors and students meet once a week. The aim is to create positive and lasting connections between peers, mentors, and the greater community. The boys’ program in Clinton was started in 2017. Then, in 2021, the girls’ program was added and has continued to grow with the support of LCU.

Navigating the early teen years for many students can be trying at best. Having access to caring and supportive mentors, willing to listen without judgment and sharing their own experience, can help make the student’s trek a little less rocky.

“As we continue to grow these mentoring programs, a donation like this is so important to help us with all the activities we wish to do,” said Loosemore. “LCU has made the dream of broadening our programs more of a reality, and we are so grateful.”

For more information on R.E.A.L. Youth Connections or the R.E.A.L. Mentors Program, email jake@ryconnections.org or visit RYConnections.org.

Citizens of the Year 2023 Nominations needed for Starburst Celebration

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LEOMINSTER — The Starburst Committee and its premier sponsor, Leominster Credit Union, would like to invite everyone to the city’s annual summer event – Starburst 2023, which will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at the Upper Doyle Field. Rain date Sunday, July 30.

“This marks the 30th year for this event,” said Diane Sanabria, who is co-chair for the Citizen of the Year Committee, along with Nancy Koski. “And we are so excited to host this event once again.”

The evening will feature a concert performed by local band Neurotic Gumbo; a nine-piece powerhouse show band.

“Neurotic Gumbo, who boasts an amazing three-piece horn section, are eager to rock Doyle Field with their repertoire of classic rock tunes,” Sanabria added. “The concert will be followed by the fireworks display, which begins at approximately 9 p.m.”

United States flags and light sticks, donated by the Leominster Rotary Club, will be offered to the children who attend.

There will also be great food provided by food vendors on the field and on adjacent streets.

“One of the highlights of the evening, other than the wonderful music and spectacular fireworks show, will be the naming of the city’s ‘Citizens of the Year’,” said Sanabria. “Each year the award is given to a deserving man and woman selected by the Starburst Committee and previous winners.”

Nominees for the award must be current Leominster residents, living in the city for at least 10 years.

“Past honorees have given of their time and talents to make Leominster the wonderful city all of us are proud to call home,” Koski said. “Leominster may be a city, but it has a hometown feel and we all lean on one another at some point. It is important to acknowledge individuals who go above and beyond.”

In 2022 Joe DeCarolis and Sue Koehler were recognized for their volunteerism and service to the community.

Nomination forms are available at the following locations: Leominster City Hall, 25 West St.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St., and the Office of Emergency Management, 37 Carter Street.

The forms may be left at any of these locations or can be mailed to the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 25 West St., Leominster MA 01453. The closing date for nominations is Friday, June 9.

Prime contributors to Starburst 2023 are the Leominster Credit Union and the Leominster Cultural Council.

Most of the event’s sponsors and patrons are local merchants and businesses and the committee encourages everyone to support them.

As it is every year, this family-fun night is a free event.

“Starburst is a celebration of our American freedom and also a celebration which honors our city residents, who may be quiet and humble, but give big from their hearts,” said Koski.

Leominster Credit Union promotes nine employees

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LEOMINSTER — Nine employees at Leominster Credit Union have received promotions and are set to take on new responsibilities, the local credit union announced recently.

Mychelle Phillips

Mychelle Phillips has been promoted to senior vice president of operations and technology.

Phillips joined Leominster Credit Union in August 2003 as the manager of the Deposit Operations Department.

Since joining the credit union, Phillips has progressed in her roles and over the past several years has been an integral part of the credit union’s senior management team providing superior leadership in Operations, IT and the Member Service Center areas.  LCU said throughout her time with the credit union she has repeatedly proven herself to be a competent, capable and committed individual with a strong sense of leadership and strategic vision. LCU added the knowledge and expertise Mychelle brings to the credit union speak to her value and overall contribution.

Phillips received her bachelor’s degree from the New England College of Finance in Business Administration and completed her Accredited ACH Professional certification.

Ellen Coughlin

Ellen Coughlin has been promoted to senior vice president of Human Resources and Development.

Coughlin joined Leominster Credit union in February 2003 as a teller, progressing into the loan servicing area shortly after, before moving into Human Resources in April 2004.

Coughlin has continued her progression within the Human Resources and Development areas, leading the credit union’s performance management, benefits and compensation, training and development, recruitment/organizational development and HRIS functions.

LCU said she has been a key contributor to its senior management team and has been very instrumental in leading initiatives to continually improve the products and services we deliver to our employees and to further enhance the level of efficiency in which we deliver these services.

Coughlin received her master’s degree in Human Resources from Emmanuel College in Boston and completed her PHR and SHRM-CP certifications.

Matt Dufault

Matt Dufault has been promoted to vice president of Mortgages. Dufault was hired in 2015 as assistant vice president of Mortgage Origination and Sales. He transitioned to assistant vice president of Retail Lending Sales in 2019 and was promoted assistant vice president of Real Estate Lending in 2020. LCU said in that role, he has been managing all of mortgage origination, underwriting and processing. Matt has consistently performed at a high level and has made significant contributions to the Lending division.

Dufault has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry and has a bachelor’s degree from Assumption College. LCU said he is a positive leader and consistently demonstrates LCU’s values in all interactions.

Joanne Lattanzi

Joanne Lattanzi has been promoted to vice president of Marketing. She first joined LCU in 2011 as a marketing administrator and was promoted to marketing manager in 2013. She was then promoted to assistant vice president of Marketing in 2016.

Lattanzi has over 25 years of marketing experience within the credit union and banking industry. She attended the ABA School of Bank Marketing and Management and is a certified financial marketing professional. LCU said she has been a cheerleader for the credit union since joining its team and she demonstrates LCU’s values in every interaction. LCU added she is dedicated to her role, her department and the credit union’s mission and vision.

Daisy Casiano

Daisy Casiano has been promoted to assistant vice president Branch Manager.

Casiano started her career at LCU in 1998 as a teller at the main office. After several years, Casiano left the credit union to relocate but returned to LCU 2014 as the assistant branch manager at the West Boylston Street branch.

Casiano was promoted to branch manager at the Shrewsbury Street branch in March of 2020, transferred to the West Boylston Street Branch as the branch manager in October 2020 and then to the main office in 2022.

LCU said Casiano has consistently demonstrated a high level of job performance, exceptional leadership and member service. The credit union added she is committed to the credit union, her team members and the credit union’s goals.

Kristen DiMeco

Kristen DiMeco has been promoted to assistant vice president human resources business partner.

DiMeco was hired in 2017 as the branch manager at LCU’s Clinton branch. After working in the retail side of banking for more than 15 years, Kristen transitioned to human resources in 2021.

LCU said Since joining human resources, DiMeco has been committed to learning and growing in this area of the credit union. She became a certified professional in human resources through the Society for Human Resources Management in 2022. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Nichols College.

Brittany Haley

Brittany Haley has been promoted to assistant vice president of Financial Education.

Haley was hired in 2014 as a senior teller at the Main Office branch and was promoted to the Clinton High School branch supervisor in 2016. She was then promoted to high school branch program and financial education manager in 2021.

Haley is a certified educator in personal finance and holds an associate’s degree in Business Administration from New England College of Business. LCU said she has made significant contributions to LCU’s financial literacy programs within its high school branches and throughout the communities it serves.

Jason England

Jason England has been promoted to retail operations manager.

England was hired as the branch operations administrator at the Main Office branch in 2019. He transferred to the West Boylston Street branch in early 2020 and was then promoted to retail operations specialist in late 2020.

England has over 10 years of banking experience and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Nichols College. Jason has been a strong performer in the Retail division and proven to be subject matter expert for branch operations. He demonstrates our values every day.

Jaime Tomer

Jaime Tomer has been promoted to learning and development manager.

Tomer was hired in 2013 as the teller supervisor at the West Boylston Street branch and transferred to the main office in 2014. Tomer was promoted to training specialist in 2017 and then to senior training specialist in 2020.

Tomer has more than 15 years of banking experience and LCU said Tomer has proven to be a high performer at LCU. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from NEIB at Cambridge College.

Leominster Credit Union helping bring financial literacy to area students

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LEOMINSTER – Leominster Credit Union is helping to bring financial literacy education to nearly 4,000 students and residents in Worcester County through a partnership with Banzai, an award-winning financial literacy program that provides educational resources to over 100,000 teachers nationwide.

According to a press release, thanks to LCU’s sponsorship students at seven schools and people in the surrounding community now have free access to Banzai, an online program and content library that allows users to practice real-world finance from the safety of their home or classroom. The schools include Fitchburg, Leominster, Clinton, and Wachusett Regional high schools and the Center for Technical Education Innovation at Leominster High School along with RFK Community Alliance in Lancaster and Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester.

Banzai incorporates real-life scenarios such as paying rent, auto insurance, saving for unexpected costs, college, etc. It is a tool available free of charge for teachers and students to use in their classrooms and students doing remote learning, and all the resources are available via any device that can access the internet.

“Kids get their own accounts, and they work through assignments that are based on real life,” Banzai co-founder Morgan Vandagriff stated in the press release. “But because Leominster Credit Union is sponsoring it, local schools get it for free. More than ever, it’s important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for the real world, and Leominster Credit Union realizes that and they’re doing something about it.”

The press release went on to say that Banzai content builds a foundation of practical knowledge and gives students the tools to create a sound financial future. While students learn, teachers can easily monitor and grade their progress remotely. After finishing Banzai, students will know how to track where their money is and what it’s for, recognize financial trade-offs, build a budget, and more. At a time when many are facing unprecedented financial challenges, these lessons are invaluable.

For more information visit leominstercu.teachbanzai.com.

The Friendly House awarded $15G by Leominster Credit Union, Elan Charitable Giving

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LEOMINSTER — The Friendly House Inc. has been awarded $15,000 by Leominster Credit Union and Elan Charitable Giving.

In a press release, the Minneapolis, Minnesota based organization said 25 credit union partners had been selected to designate a charity in their community for a $15,000 donation on the credit union’s behalf. Since the program began in 2022, Elan has made over $1 million in donations.

Based in Worcester, The Friendly House supports families with children and expectant parents who are homeless with short-term housing, conducting an extensive housing search and providing resources to help those in need become self-sufficient. The organization also offers youth programs for kids 6-18 and assistance to those struggling with food insecurity.

“Over the last year we’ve heard and seen firsthand how our charitable giving program is making an impact,” said John Owens, Elan Credit Card general manager, “These nonprofits are doing incredible work for community members and it’s an honor for us to be able to support them.”

The Friendly House was one of two organizations in Massachusetts awarded money, with the other being The Salvation Army in Fall River.

For more information visit elancharitablegiving.com.

Citizen of the Year 2022 nominations needed for Starburst celebration

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LEOMINSTER — The Starburst Committee and its premier sponsor, Leominster Credit Union, are preparing to welcome the community to the city’s annual summer event, Starburst, which will have music and fireworks for people to enjoy and the committee is seeking nominations now for its annual Citizen of the Year awards.

Starburst 2022 will be held beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Upper Doyle Field.

This marks the 29th year for this event, which will also be the “official” opening celebration of the Twin Cities Rail Trail.

The evening will feature a concert performed by local band Neurotic Gumbo, a nine-piece show band. They boast a three-piece horn section and are eager to rock Doyle Field with its repertoire of classic rock tunes.

The concert will be followed by the fireworks display, which begins at about 9 p.m. U.S. flags and light sticks, donated by the Leominster Rotary Club, will be offered to the children who attend. There will also be food provided by food vendors on the field and on adjacent streets.

“One of the highlights of the evening, other than the wonderful music and spectacular fireworks show, will be the naming of the city’s ‘Citizens of the Year,’ ” said Diane Sanabria, co-chair of the Citizen of the Year Committee, along with co-Chair Nancy Koski.

Each year the award is given to a deserving man and woman selected by the Starburst Committee and previous winners. Nominees for the award must be current Leominster residents, living in the city for at least 10 years.

“Past honorees have given of their time and talents to make Leominster the wonderful city all of us are proud to call home,” Sanabria said.

In 2021, Barry Cosimi and Kim Pehi were recognized for their volunteerism and service to the community.

Nomination forms are available at: Leominster City Hall, 25 West St.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St., and the Office of Emergency Management, 37 Carter St. Nominations may be left at any of these locations or can be mailed to the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 25 West St., Leominster MA 01453.

The closing date for nominations is June 17.

Prime contributors to Starburst 2022 are the Leominster Credit Union and the Leominster Cultural Council.

“Most of the event’s sponsors and patrons are local merchants and businesses and the committee encourages everyone to support them,” said Sanabria. “And best of all, Starburst is, as it is every year, a free event.”

A rain date has been set for Aug. 28.