PenFed Honors Nation's Top Athletes and Vets as a Proud Sponsor of U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program at 2014 Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix in Park City, Utah

ALEXANDRIA, Va. and PARK CITY, Utah, Jan. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- PenFed (Pentagon Federal Credit Union) announced today that the credit union will be the presenting sponsor of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's (USSA) Military Mentorship Program during the 2014 Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix presented by The North Face in Park City, Utah. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program is a "first of its kind" mentoring program, that allows for a synergy of excellence to exist between two great groups—U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Team athletes and U.S. veterans.

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"It is a real honor and a pleasure to be this year's presenting sponsor for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program during the 2014 U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix in Park City, Utah," said James Schenck, vice president of PenFed. "As our top U.S. athletes prepare to depart for the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, now more than ever, our nation's heroes - athletes and veterans, alike - deserve the best support and recognition we can give them. Their amazing talents and efforts do not go unnoticed, nor are they unappreciated."

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the national governing body of Olympic skiing and snowboarding and the parent organization of the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding, and U.S. Freeskiing. In leading towards its Best in the World vision, the Association's mission is to provide strong leadership that establishes and supports athletic excellence in accordance with USSA's core values.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program was founded by U.S. Army veteran and former U.S. Ski Team athlete and coach, Robi Powers. Powers is also the director of American300 Tours and American300 Warrior Tours. The mentorship program allows for a synergy of excellence to exist between U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association athletes and U.S. veterans. As the two groups go through obstacles and training together, U.S. veterans help to inspire U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Association Team athletes by sharing personal stories of challenges, injuries, and overcoming the fear of the unknown.

"We are excited to have PenFed on board as this year's sponsor of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program," said Robi Powers, founder American300. "Our programs are about connecting amazing people and allowing shared themes of excellence to come together. We have the best military service members in the world, and we are connecting them in a meaningful way with the best athletes in the world."

Formula Strategy Group (FSG), a strategic marketing and communications firm specializing in military and sports themed event properties, facilitated the partnership between USSA and PenFed for the inaugural U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program.

The 2014 Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix presented by The North Face will be hosted in Park City, Utah on January 15-18, 2014. PenFed, the proud presenting sponsor of U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program, will be onsite for the event at the Park City Village Vendor Alley on the evenings of Friday, January 17 and Saturday, January 18, 2014.

While on site at the U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, PenFed representatives will be available to answer questions about the credit union's membership eligibility and the full-range of financial products and services it offers; to include the PenFed Promise Visa® Card. The PenFed Promise Visa® Card is PenFed's featured Visa Card for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program sponsorship; a Card that features a low-introductory interest rate and the promise of "absolutely no fees.*

The USSA Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah is the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's national training and education facility training base for the best in the world athletes. The Center of Excellence will be the host location for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program's "send-off" event for the U. S. Freestyle Ski Team's aerials athletes. The purpose of the event is to honor and inspire Olympic athletes as they head off to compete in the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.

The special "send-off" event will feature an array of guest speakers: Three-time recipient of the Purple Heart, retired Marine Corps Col. John Bates, Wounded Warrior and Purple Heart recipient, retired Army Col. Danny McKnight, and U.S. Army veteran and  founder and managing director of American300 Tours, American300 Warrior Tours,  and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Military Mentorship Program.

For more information about PenFed and membership eligibility, call 800.247.5626 or visit PenFed.org.

About PenFed (Pentagon Federal Credit Union): Established in 1935, PenFed is one of the largest credit unions in the country serving over 1.2 million members worldwide; with more than $16 billion in assets. Its longstanding mission has been to provide superior financial services, responsive to members' needs in a cost effective manner. PenFed offers market-leading mortgages, automobile loans, credit cards, checking, and a wide range of other financial services with its members' interests always in mind. Serving a diverse population, there are hundreds of ways to become a PenFed member; including numerous association members and employee groups. PenFed is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration, does business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and is an equal housing lender.

About U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA): The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the national governing body of Olympic skiing and snowboarding. It is the parent organization of the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing. Developed to facilitate participation in national and international competition, the Olympic sports organization provides structure for competitive skiing and snowboarding. From grassroots programs to governance of sport, management of rules, competitions and athletic rankings, the USSA oversees athletic pipelines for development in the sports. With a vision to make the USA the best in the world in Olympic skiing and snowboarding, the USSA provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders who share an Olympic dream while maintaining a strong adherence to core values. The USSA, established in 1905, operates out of the national training and education facility, the Center of Excellence, in Park City, UT. For more information about USSA and its programs visit www.usskiteam.com and www.ussnowboarding.com.

About Formula Strategy Group: Formula Strategy Group (FSG) is a full-service, strategic marketing and communications firm specializing in military and sports themed properties.  FSG features a wide array of clients that span the public sector, sports and media landscapes.  Based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, FSG has extensive experience and strong relationships working in the Nation's Capital.  Our diverse capabilities help clients develop innovative solutions to reach their goals. For more information about FSG, visit formulastrategygroup.com.

*Disclosures: Rates and offers current as of January 2014 and are subject to change. PenFed Promise Visa® Card: 7.49% APR introductory purchase rate for 36 months. After that, your APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate and is currently 9.99%. The APR for cash advances is a variable 9.99% APR. 4.99% APR promotional balance transfer rate for the life of the balance on transfers made until March 31, 2014. After that, the APR for new balance transfers will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate and is currently 9.99%. This transaction is subject to credit approval. Promise Visa Cardholders must subscribe to our e-statement service for ALL active credit card accounts held with PenFed. Pentagon Federal is not affiliated with or endorsed by Promise, Inc.

SOURCE PenFed