Michigan First Credit Union Honored for Accomplishments in Human Resources, Financial Education and Marketing

LATHRUP VILLAGE, Mich., Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Michigan First Credit Union (www.MichiganFirst.com) experienced a banner year in 2011, as the organization was honored with industry and local awards in three distinct areas for outstanding efforts to serve members and employees.

"The entire Michigan First team works very hard to achieve excellence in everything we do, from providing members quality service and products to providing beneficial financial education programs for the community," said Michael Poulos, president and CEO of Michigan First. "To be recognized for all of our programs is the cherry on top of what has been an excellent year for Michigan First."

Human Resources
Citing Michigan First's positive, fulfilling work atmosphere and innovative human resources strategies, three of the most prominent human resources awards programs in the metro Detroit region this year recognized Michigan First with these honors:

• Detroit Free Press "Top Workplaces"
• Crain's Detroit Business "Cool Places to Work"
• "Metropolitan Detroit's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" by the Michigan Business and Professional Association (MBPA)

"At Michigan First, we strive to provide unique and high-quality benefits and programs to attract talented team members who share a commitment to a positive, fulfilling work atmosphere," said Monica Horger, vice president of human resources for Michigan First Credit Union. "To be recognized for our efforts is a great achievement, and we are proud of all of our team members who make Michigan First a positive place to work every day."

Financial Education
Michigan First has a long history of providing financial education to those within the three counties it serves and recognizes the importance of instilling today's youth with sound financial values to help build a stable economic climate for future generations.

This year, the Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL) and the Michigan Credit Union Foundation (MCUF) honored Michigan First with their "Award for Excellence in Consumer Education," citing the credit union's multi-faceted approach to financial education, taking steps to ensure that a combination of adult and youth marketing initiatives, in-school programs and community programs result in a comprehensive financial literacy program.

Marketing
With the aim of raising awareness of credit unions, their products and services in an engaging and lighthearted way, Michigan First has implemented a number of new marketing initiatives that have garnered industry attention.

This year, Michigan First received second-place honors in the Credit Union Executive Society (CUES) Golden Mirror Awards, in the categories of social media and digital marketing, for its series of MiVid videos and its Michigan First Mobile website.

Michigan First was also honored for its Michigan First Mobile campaign with a Diamond Merit award in the Point-of-Sale category from the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing and Business Development Council. The winning campaign was intended to be non-traditional, grabbing the attention of members -- particularly tech-savvy younger smartphone users -- to get them excited about the credit union's mobile banking service. Each year, the Council recognizes outstanding marketing and business development achievements in the credit union industry.

About Michigan First Credit Union
Based in Lathrup Village, Mich., Michigan First Credit Union is one of the leading technology-focused credit unions in metro Detroit. The rapidly growing, full-service financial institution serves more than 84,000 members and has more than $640 million in assets. Founded in 1926 as the Detroit Teachers Credit Union, Michigan First has since expanded to serve those who live, work or worship in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, as well as local businesses. Michigan First is committed to continuously investing in its members, the community, youth and financial literacy initiatives and providing members with the latest in banking technology and services. For more information, visit http://www.MichiganFirst.com.

To stay updated on news, events and more, follow Michigan First on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/MichiganFirstCU or "Like" Michigan First on Facebook http://www.Facebook.com/MichiganFirstCreditUnion.

SOURCE Michigan First Credit Union