Winter 2015
Transcription
Winter 2015
Brandon Member Solutions Team 2015 Board Elections An Online Voter FAQ Westoba is committed to continuing to offer excellent financial solutions to all members. No one person, family, business or farm is the same.When it comes to managing your finances, we understand that you have unique needs and we’re evolving to better meet them.We have created specialized Member and Business Solutions Teams.They are made up of knowledgeable staff, equipped with the necessary skills to offer you excellent personal, commercial and agricultural advice. Not to mention sound insurance and financial planning guidance. In the upcoming newsletters, we will introduce the teams who are working hard (in front and behind the scenes) with your best interests in mind. Let’s put a face to the name! Meet the Brandon Member Solutions Team… Why am I being asked to vote online? Can anyone find out who I voted for? Online voting is a highly efficient and cost-effective way for members to exercise their right to vote. Using this system allows more members the opportunity to vote and executing it online means we minimize our ecological footprint. It also means you are no longer required to attend an AGM or Information Meeting to be eligible to vote. No.Your vote is completely anonymous. We can only determine whether or not your vote has been cast. Can I vote using a mobile device? Yes, the online voting system is mobile-friendly. John Jansen Amber Van De Kerckhove Manager Member Solutions, 34th Street TeleService Supervisor Part of the Westoba family for 18 years Part of the Westoba family for 8 ½ years “I have lived in small towns my whole life and over the past year moved to Brandon with my family. Brandon may be a city, but we are enjoying the small town feel it offers. As member solution providers it’s our job to build relationships with our members, so we can advise them on the best product and services to make their financial dreams come true.” “I have had the opportunity to work in different areas in the branches and recently joined the TeleService Team as the Supervisor. At TeleService we have started to take MasterCard applications over the phone, process loan applications with same day or next day approval.We answer calls for all Westoba Branches and in 2014 the TeleService team answered over 73,000 inbound calls from members. We are looking forward to 2015 and what it will bring.” Melody Osudar Patti McEvoy Joshua Roels Associate Vice President, Member Solutions Brandon Manager Member Solutions, 10th Street Part of the Westoba family for 8 years, 25+ years in the financial industry Part of the Westoba family for 19 years Manager Member Solutions, Kirkcaldy/ 1st Street/Shilo “We are a full service Credit Union. Providing you Wealth Management services,WestProtect and Phillips Insurance options, a local Teleservice and many ATM’s located throughout the Brandon area.Westoba’s focus is providing excellent member service by creating solutions that work for our members. Our goal is to make it easy to do business with us.” “I recommend all staff to take a deeper interest in the members they serve. Ask the small questions like, “Are you heading away on a holiday this winter?” or “How many kids do you have?” You may be surprised at where these small questions lead you, and lead your relationship with your member.” Can a vote be cast more than once? No, the system will not allow a voter identification to be used more than once. Regardless of where you vote (online or inbranch), once your vote is cast, attempting to use it again will result in an error code. Is online voting safe? How are the votes calculated? Yes. Our online voting system is a stand-alone software system that is not directly attached to the Westoba database.There is no connection to member account information. Votes are automatically tabulated online after the voter confirms the selections made.The vote is considered cast at that time and the tabulation is updated immediately by the system. Part of the Westoba family for 8 years What happens to my private information after the election? Has it been secure through the process? This system is not linked directly to any member database.Your member number and postal code reside in the database used in the voting application. During the voting process, the database is held in an independent server. This data is encrypted on the server in a locked ISO with 256bit encryption to encapsulate the data. After the election results are announced, the system’s database will be destroyed. Nice to Meet Ya’ Neighbour! How do businesses, corporations, or organizations appoint one person to vote on their behalf? There is a form on westoba.com that can be printed, signed and returned to MNP LLP, the returning officer. Once this is completed, the organization will be provided with a voter identifier code. Introducing the Managers of our Brandon Member Solutions Team. See page 5 Mark Your Calendars 2015 Information Meetings Monday, April 13 – District 5 (Glenboro/Ninette/Belmont) Wednesday, April 15 – District 2 (Carberry) Monday, April 20 – District 4 (Rivers) Credit Union Wednesday, April 22 – District 8 (Killarney/Cartwright) “Having grown up in and around Brandon, I have always known this is a fantastic community to live and raise a family. I believe you have to do what others won’t to achieve what others don’t and like to work and live with that model in mind. At Westoba we listen and work with our members to find solutions to best suit their needs.This is what sets us apart.” FAMILY DAY 2015 Annual General Meeting Wednesday, April 29 – District 1 (Brandon/Shilo) Watch in branch, online and in local newspapers for locations and times to be announced. Toll-Free 1-877-WESTOBA 1-877-937-8622 Meet Lyle, a bull on a member’s farm southeast of Onanole. TeleService Representatives: Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm • Saturday 8 am to 4 pm Automated TeleService: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| westoba.com 5 Picture credit: Pennie Nylen. During this year’s Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon, the Credit Unions serving southwestern Manitoba are sponsoring Credit Union Family Day. On Wednesday, April 1st, Canadian stars Sharon and Bram will have performances throughout the day! For more details around the day see page 2. Membership Satisfaction Survey Your opinion matters. Let us know how we’re doing! See page 4 RRSP Contest Think about your Future You and find out how you can win $500 towards your 2015 contribution! See page 4 This newsletter is printed on paper containing 10% recycled content. ® TELESERVICE is a registered trademark owned by Vancouver City Savings Credit Union and is used under licence. ® ACCULINK & Design are registered trademarks owned by the Credit Union Central of Canada and are used under licence. ™ CU@HOME is a trademark owned by Credit Union Central of Canada and is used under licence. ® MEMBER CARD Design is a registered certification mark owned by Credit Union Central of Canada and is used under licence. ® INTERAC & Design are registered trademarks owned by Interac Inc., authorized user of the mark. ® CIRRUS & Design are registered trademarks owned by Cirrus System Inc. and are used under licence. ® MAESTRO is a registered trademark owned by Maestro International Inc. and is used under licence. ® MASTERCARD & Design are registered trademarks owned by MasterCard International Inc. 6 This is your newsletter and we want to know what you think. Send your comments and story suggestions to [email protected] WINTER 2015 o t p i r T t n e d u t S m u e s u M s t h g i R Human Interesting Members, Doing Interesting Things… ent nity Developm u m om C ’s on Brand Human 0th, the City of International rk a m to t s en On December 1 a day-long ev l organization d ra te ve os se h t by en ed m iv rt Depa rship rece inden hrough sponso dents from L u st 4 4 , n io Rights Day. T Un Canadian estoba Credit 6 visited the d n a 5 including W es d ra ts then rl Oxford g rd. The studen 3 r be em ec Lanes and Ea D on rce Centre uman Rights ultural Resou C e th to Museum for H t k si vi p were able to wor ey had a follow-u th e er h w y a hts D ts Commission n pieces on Human Rig e Manitoba Human Righ create their ow th to a om ob fr it n a ff great a M with st outhwestern . There was a S se of ou h y er en ll a op G ’s s and the Art r the evening ided awarenes fo ov y pr a t pl is en d ev e on th e rter of ing and of art that wer Canadian Cha le for the even e op th pe , 0 ts 8 h er ig R ov n turnout of hts and how it ig tion of Huma R ra n la a ec m D u l H sa er kids’ a Code of about the Univ g included the nd the Manitob a in s en ev om e ed h re T F . e d Rights an ves in Brandon Brandon, education from th li y a d y er ev ’s mers to ovided related to people done by newco trade treats pr ry ir ta fa , en y m st u ta oc d d en art, a photo ommission an e evening’s op C th ts to h ed ig R rn n tu a re students Manitoba Hum . Many of the ct je ro P is u rq . by the Ma eir work of art th f” of ow h “s at enabled r family to redit Union th C ba to es house with thei W ed from onsorship receiv sp e th r fo in a s. Thank you ag a great succes t ec oj pr is th e us to mak Sincerely, que Rachelle Leves evelopment Community D Programmer on, City of Brand ervices S Community Winnipeg Harvest – Empty Bowl Celebrity Auction This past October, Westoba was a bowl sponsor at the Winnipeg Harvest’s Empty Bowl Celebrity Auction.Winnipeg Harvest is a non-profit, community-based organization that is committed to providing food to people who struggle to feed themselves and families and raising awareness around poverty and hunger.They raised over $340,000.00 in support of hungry Manitoba families! Local sugar cane farm, Montero En route to the mountain village of Montero, 30 minutes south of the equator Grading coffee beans, Piura. Randy Brown’s Peru Adventure Randy Brown,Vice President of Member Solutions at Westoba, sits on the national Co-operative Development Foundation (CDF) of Canada Board and it is something he is very passionate about. CDF’s goal is raising funds for co-operative and credit union development programming to reduce global poverty. In the past, CDF has joined forces with the Canadian Cooperative Association (CCA) to implement several projects. CCA is a not-for-profit cooperative, which helps establish and strengthen co-operatives, credit unions and community based organizations. CCA and CDF have been working with Norandino, a multi-service co-operative in Northern Peru, to grow its business and bring needed services and benefits to more farmers in the region. The two boards partnered to improve and increase Norandino’s capacity to produce, Credit Union Family Day All Day, Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 During the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Westoba has been directly involved with CDF for the past 15 years by hosting a golf tournament raising in excess of $150,000.00. In November, Randy got to learn more about the Norandino project first hand… November 23rd – Travel day, arrived in Lima. Weather was 20°C during the day and 15°C at night; could get used to this. Turkeys for the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner For more information, follow us on MBCreditUnions, @MBCreditUnions or visit MBCreditUnions.ca 2 Montero process and market export quality fair trade organic coffee, cocoa and panela (cane sugar). Credit Union Family Day sponsored by the Credit Unions of Southwestern Manitoba Canadian stars, Sharon and Bram are performing throughout the day. A sing-along concert for the entire family, playing well-loved favourites like “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain”, “Five Little Monkeys”, and “Skinna-ma-rink”. RANDY’S TRAVELS The Credit Unions of Brandon partnered to help cover the cost of hundreds of turkeys for a community event that provides a much needed Christmas meal for many. Shown in the picture (left to right): Harry Bowler, C.E.O. of Sunrise Credit Union, Arnie Guist, C.E.O. of Crocus Credit Union,Tammy Waterfield of the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner, Ian Gerrard, C.E.O. of Vanguard Credit Union, Jim Rediger, C.E.O. of Westoba Credit Union, and Marc Cayer, store manager of Heritage Co-op. November 24th – Met with CDF Directors who were our guides for the next week. Our first visit was the Canadian Embassy where we learned more about Canada’s great interest in the mining sector in Peru. In having a short conversation with a staff member, it turned out he was from Manitoba and had heard of Westoba Credit Union. Small world! November 25th – Flew north to the desert city Piura. Met employees of the Norandino Co-op and toured a facility that took raw sugar cane powder and packaged it for export. It looks and tastes like brown sugar, only better! Toured a large warehouse facility used to store and grade green coffee beans, as well as cocoa beans. All of these products are grown by roughly 7,000 small farms in Peru all striving to be totally organic. The products are processed through very labour intensive means that are slowly being automated with the help of various funding agencies like CCA and CDF. November 26th – Travelled to the mountain village of Montero and visited farmers who produce coffee, cocoa and cane sugar. It was great to hear the men and women tell stories about how proud they felt It’s no surprise to us that our membership is made up of fascinating and remarkable individuals and now we want to share their stories with you! “Interesting members, doing interesting things…” includes stories told by our members, shared by our members and all about our members. Tell us what you’re involved in, your quirky facts and your amazing accomplishments.We want to hear it and we want to share it! Email [email protected] with your interesting tale. Coffee beans and cocoa beans ready to be shipped, Piura belonging to a co-op that could market their products from this lush little part of South America to all over the world. Part of the mandate for CCA and CDF is ensuring equality for women. There weren’t equal numbers of men and women producers but it was good to learn how women’s lives, and their families, had improved. These one to two hectare farms operate nothing like the farms here. There is no big machinery and cocoa pods and coffee beans are picked by hand. Introducing Roméo Lemieux — a Westoba member for 25 years, a retired (but never fully retired) teacher and most recently a published author. Roméo’s passion for great stories started in his early days as a farm kid, where he would wait out the November 27th – Explored Piura, met with the Board of Norandino and learned more about their five-year plan. CDF and CCA have funded this co-op over the last four years and given them nearly $1.4 million over that time. endless winter months with comics and novels. His love for stories continued into his career where his students would provide him constant inspiration with their imaginative and creative minds. His skillful niece, Connie Bischoff, is credited with the art photography in the book. Wondering what someone on the other side of the lens saw, Connie sent Roméo her pictures and he then wrote short You’ve been named as Executor… Do you know where to start? The cane sugar they sell in Canada is Camino.The coffee product is sold under various names but will have the Norandino fair trade stamp. Being named the Executor may be an honour, but it’s also a serious commitment. As Executor you are the person legally obligated to ensure the: November 28th – Spent a couple of hours reviewing experiences and all felt the Norandino Co-op was doing good work and living up to the mandate given. We could see them working towards gender equality for their members and that the three main products they market are highly regarded. • Estate assets are located, protected and properly disbursed; • debts, liabilities and taxes are identified and paid; and • beneficiaries are kept informed and treated fairly throughout the administration of the Estate To learn more about CDF or CCA visit www.cdfcanada.coop or www.coopscanada.coop. 3 You are expected to complete these tasks in a thoughtful, caring and efficient manner; often while you are experiencing the grieving process yourself. It can be a tough job and many who accept an Executor appointment don’t fully understand the duties, responsibilities and personal liabilities that come with it. We know this can be hard. Through our partnership with Concentra Trust, we offer members a program called Executor EASE, designed to assist Executors in their role in administering an Estate. Roméo Lemieux stories and poems to match them. On the flipside, Roméo would send Connie his written work and challenged her to take a picture to match. The exchanges of creative intelligence over the years lead to Right sideUPside Down!, a 200-page coffee table book that invites busy minds to sit for just a few minutes with a cup of coffee (or what have you) and share. 3 Membership Satisfaction Survey Tell us how we’re doing! Your opinion matters and we want to make sure we’re doing a good job from your eyes! • Prepare statements and reporting Mid-March Westoba is excited to launch our Member Satisfaction Survey. Start to finish, the survey will take 1015 minutes to complete. We want to know how you think our products and services, community engagement and member communications measure up. The results will give us the knowledge to make educated decisions on how to best meet the future wants and needs of our members. There is no initial cost and no obligation. Talk to us and we can set you up with a free consultation. Let us help you. More information to come! Details on how you can take part will be available in branches and at westoba.com. The Executor EASE program will help you: • Locate, assemble, and gather information • Understand and gather documentation • Establish Executor authority • Manage assets and liabilities Right sideUpside Down! is available online through FriesenPress, Indigo, and McNally Robinson, as well as at Lady of the Lake in Brandon. For more information about Mr. Roméo Lemieux’s book please connect by email: romeol@ mymts.net or by regular mail: Romeo Lemieux, 301-3420 Grant Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3R 3T5. How can you participate? There are lots of ways! 1. Online – Members can complete the survey online through a link at westoba.com. 2. In-Branch – Members can complete the survey inbranch at a computer kiosk or request a printed copy. 3.Phone – Some members will be contacted by a third party, Probe Research, and asked to participate in the survey. Please know that this is a legitimate phone call. Private member account and card numbers will not be requested. 4. Mail – You can request the survey be mailed to you to complete and return. 4 o t p i r T t n e d u t S m u e s u M s t h g i R Human Interesting Members, Doing Interesting Things… ent nity Developm u m om C ’s on Brand Human 0th, the City of International rk a m to t s en On December 1 a day-long ev l organization d ra te ve os se h t by en ed m iv rt Depa rship rece inden hrough sponso dents from L u st 4 4 , n io Rights Day. T Un Canadian estoba Credit 6 visited the d n a 5 including W es d ra ts then rl Oxford g rd. The studen 3 r be em ec Lanes and Ea D on rce Centre uman Rights ultural Resou C e th to Museum for H t k si vi p were able to wor ey had a follow-u th e er h w y a hts D ts Commission n pieces on Human Rig e Manitoba Human Righ create their ow th to a om ob fr it n a ff great a M with st outhwestern . There was a S se of ou h y er en ll a op G ’s s and the Art r the evening ided awarenes fo ov y pr a t pl is en d ev e on th e rter of ing and of art that wer Canadian Cha le for the even e op th pe , 0 ts 8 h er ig R ov n turnout of hts and how it ig tion of Huma R ra n la a ec m D u l H sa er kids’ a Code of about the Univ g included the nd the Manitob a in s en ev om e ed h re T F . e d Rights an ves in Brandon Brandon, education from th li y a d y er ev ’s mers to ovided related to people done by newco trade treats pr ry ir ta fa , en y m st u ta oc d d en art, a photo ommission an e evening’s op C th ts to h ed ig R rn n tu a re students Manitoba Hum . Many of the ct je ro P is u rq . by the Ma eir work of art th f” of ow h “s at enabled r family to redit Union th C ba to es house with thei W ed from onsorship receiv sp e th r fo in a s. Thank you ag a great succes t ec oj pr is th e us to mak Sincerely, que Rachelle Leves evelopment Community D Programmer on, City of Brand ervices S Community Winnipeg Harvest – Empty Bowl Celebrity Auction This past October, Westoba was a bowl sponsor at the Winnipeg Harvest’s Empty Bowl Celebrity Auction.Winnipeg Harvest is a non-profit, community-based organization that is committed to providing food to people who struggle to feed themselves and families and raising awareness around poverty and hunger.They raised over $340,000.00 in support of hungry Manitoba families! Local sugar cane farm, Montero En route to the mountain village of Montero, 30 minutes south of the equator Grading coffee beans, Piura. Randy Brown’s Peru Adventure Randy Brown,Vice President of Member Solutions at Westoba, sits on the national Co-operative Development Foundation (CDF) of Canada Board and it is something he is very passionate about. CDF’s goal is raising funds for co-operative and credit union development programming to reduce global poverty. In the past, CDF has joined forces with the Canadian Cooperative Association (CCA) to implement several projects. CCA is a not-for-profit cooperative, which helps establish and strengthen co-operatives, credit unions and community based organizations. CCA and CDF have been working with Norandino, a multi-service co-operative in Northern Peru, to grow its business and bring needed services and benefits to more farmers in the region. The two boards partnered to improve and increase Norandino’s capacity to produce, Credit Union Family Day All Day, Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 During the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Westoba has been directly involved with CDF for the past 15 years by hosting a golf tournament raising in excess of $150,000.00. In November, Randy got to learn more about the Norandino project first hand… November 23rd – Travel day, arrived in Lima. Weather was 20°C during the day and 15°C at night; could get used to this. Turkeys for the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner For more information, follow us on MBCreditUnions, @MBCreditUnions or visit MBCreditUnions.ca 2 Montero process and market export quality fair trade organic coffee, cocoa and panela (cane sugar). Credit Union Family Day sponsored by the Credit Unions of Southwestern Manitoba Canadian stars, Sharon and Bram are performing throughout the day. A sing-along concert for the entire family, playing well-loved favourites like “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain”, “Five Little Monkeys”, and “Skinna-ma-rink”. RANDY’S TRAVELS The Credit Unions of Brandon partnered to help cover the cost of hundreds of turkeys for a community event that provides a much needed Christmas meal for many. Shown in the picture (left to right): Harry Bowler, C.E.O. of Sunrise Credit Union, Arnie Guist, C.E.O. of Crocus Credit Union,Tammy Waterfield of the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner, Ian Gerrard, C.E.O. of Vanguard Credit Union, Jim Rediger, C.E.O. of Westoba Credit Union, and Marc Cayer, store manager of Heritage Co-op. November 24th – Met with CDF Directors who were our guides for the next week. Our first visit was the Canadian Embassy where we learned more about Canada’s great interest in the mining sector in Peru. In having a short conversation with a staff member, it turned out he was from Manitoba and had heard of Westoba Credit Union. Small world! November 25th – Flew north to the desert city Piura. Met employees of the Norandino Co-op and toured a facility that took raw sugar cane powder and packaged it for export. It looks and tastes like brown sugar, only better! Toured a large warehouse facility used to store and grade green coffee beans, as well as cocoa beans. All of these products are grown by roughly 7,000 small farms in Peru all striving to be totally organic. The products are processed through very labour intensive means that are slowly being automated with the help of various funding agencies like CCA and CDF. November 26th – Travelled to the mountain village of Montero and visited farmers who produce coffee, cocoa and cane sugar. It was great to hear the men and women tell stories about how proud they felt It’s no surprise to us that our membership is made up of fascinating and remarkable individuals and now we want to share their stories with you! “Interesting members, doing interesting things…” includes stories told by our members, shared by our members and all about our members. Tell us what you’re involved in, your quirky facts and your amazing accomplishments.We want to hear it and we want to share it! Email [email protected] with your interesting tale. Coffee beans and cocoa beans ready to be shipped, Piura belonging to a co-op that could market their products from this lush little part of South America to all over the world. Part of the mandate for CCA and CDF is ensuring equality for women. There weren’t equal numbers of men and women producers but it was good to learn how women’s lives, and their families, had improved. These one to two hectare farms operate nothing like the farms here. There is no big machinery and cocoa pods and coffee beans are picked by hand. Introducing Roméo Lemieux — a Westoba member for 25 years, a retired (but never fully retired) teacher and most recently a published author. Roméo’s passion for great stories started in his early days as a farm kid, where he would wait out the November 27th – Explored Piura, met with the Board of Norandino and learned more about their five-year plan. CDF and CCA have funded this co-op over the last four years and given them nearly $1.4 million over that time. endless winter months with comics and novels. His love for stories continued into his career where his students would provide him constant inspiration with their imaginative and creative minds. His skillful niece, Connie Bischoff, is credited with the art photography in the book. Wondering what someone on the other side of the lens saw, Connie sent Roméo her pictures and he then wrote short You’ve been named as Executor… Do you know where to start? The cane sugar they sell in Canada is Camino.The coffee product is sold under various names but will have the Norandino fair trade stamp. Being named the Executor may be an honour, but it’s also a serious commitment. As Executor you are the person legally obligated to ensure the: November 28th – Spent a couple of hours reviewing experiences and all felt the Norandino Co-op was doing good work and living up to the mandate given. We could see them working towards gender equality for their members and that the three main products they market are highly regarded. • Estate assets are located, protected and properly disbursed; • debts, liabilities and taxes are identified and paid; and • beneficiaries are kept informed and treated fairly throughout the administration of the Estate To learn more about CDF or CCA visit www.cdfcanada.coop or www.coopscanada.coop. 3 You are expected to complete these tasks in a thoughtful, caring and efficient manner; often while you are experiencing the grieving process yourself. It can be a tough job and many who accept an Executor appointment don’t fully understand the duties, responsibilities and personal liabilities that come with it. We know this can be hard. Through our partnership with Concentra Trust, we offer members a program called Executor EASE, designed to assist Executors in their role in administering an Estate. Roméo Lemieux stories and poems to match them. On the flipside, Roméo would send Connie his written work and challenged her to take a picture to match. The exchanges of creative intelligence over the years lead to Right sideUPside Down!, a 200-page coffee table book that invites busy minds to sit for just a few minutes with a cup of coffee (or what have you) and share. 3 Membership Satisfaction Survey Tell us how we’re doing! Your opinion matters and we want to make sure we’re doing a good job from your eyes! • Prepare statements and reporting Mid-March Westoba is excited to launch our Member Satisfaction Survey. Start to finish, the survey will take 1015 minutes to complete. We want to know how you think our products and services, community engagement and member communications measure up. The results will give us the knowledge to make educated decisions on how to best meet the future wants and needs of our members. There is no initial cost and no obligation. Talk to us and we can set you up with a free consultation. Let us help you. More information to come! Details on how you can take part will be available in branches and at westoba.com. The Executor EASE program will help you: • Locate, assemble, and gather information • Understand and gather documentation • Establish Executor authority • Manage assets and liabilities Right sideUpside Down! is available online through FriesenPress, Indigo, and McNally Robinson, as well as at Lady of the Lake in Brandon. For more information about Mr. Roméo Lemieux’s book please connect by email: romeol@ mymts.net or by regular mail: Romeo Lemieux, 301-3420 Grant Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3R 3T5. How can you participate? There are lots of ways! 1. Online – Members can complete the survey online through a link at westoba.com. 2. In-Branch – Members can complete the survey inbranch at a computer kiosk or request a printed copy. 3.Phone – Some members will be contacted by a third party, Probe Research, and asked to participate in the survey. Please know that this is a legitimate phone call. Private member account and card numbers will not be requested. 4. Mail – You can request the survey be mailed to you to complete and return. 4 o t p i r T t n e d u t S m u e s u M s t h g i R Human Interesting Members, Doing Interesting Things… ent nity Developm u m om C ’s on Brand Human 0th, the City of International rk a m to t s en On December 1 a day-long ev l organization d ra te ve os se h t by en ed m iv rt Depa rship rece inden hrough sponso dents from L u st 4 4 , n io Rights Day. T Un Canadian estoba Credit 6 visited the d n a 5 including W es d ra ts then rl Oxford g rd. The studen 3 r be em ec Lanes and Ea D on rce Centre uman Rights ultural Resou C e th to Museum for H t k si vi p were able to wor ey had a follow-u th e er h w y a hts D ts Commission n pieces on Human Rig e Manitoba Human Righ create their ow th to a om ob fr it n a ff great a M with st outhwestern . There was a S se of ou h y er en ll a op G ’s s and the Art r the evening ided awarenes fo ov y pr a t pl is en d ev e on th e rter of ing and of art that wer Canadian Cha le for the even e op th pe , 0 ts 8 h er ig R ov n turnout of hts and how it ig tion of Huma R ra n la a ec m D u l H sa er kids’ a Code of about the Univ g included the nd the Manitob a in s en ev om e ed h re T F . e d Rights an ves in Brandon Brandon, education from th li y a d y er ev ’s mers to ovided related to people done by newco trade treats pr ry ir ta fa , en y m st u ta oc d d en art, a photo ommission an e evening’s op C th ts to h ed ig R rn n tu a re students Manitoba Hum . Many of the ct je ro P is u rq . by the Ma eir work of art th f” of ow h “s at enabled r family to redit Union th C ba to es house with thei W ed from onsorship receiv sp e th r fo in a s. Thank you ag a great succes t ec oj pr is th e us to mak Sincerely, que Rachelle Leves evelopment Community D Programmer on, City of Brand ervices S Community Winnipeg Harvest – Empty Bowl Celebrity Auction This past October, Westoba was a bowl sponsor at the Winnipeg Harvest’s Empty Bowl Celebrity Auction.Winnipeg Harvest is a non-profit, community-based organization that is committed to providing food to people who struggle to feed themselves and families and raising awareness around poverty and hunger.They raised over $340,000.00 in support of hungry Manitoba families! Local sugar cane farm, Montero En route to the mountain village of Montero, 30 minutes south of the equator Grading coffee beans, Piura. Randy Brown’s Peru Adventure Randy Brown,Vice President of Member Solutions at Westoba, sits on the national Co-operative Development Foundation (CDF) of Canada Board and it is something he is very passionate about. CDF’s goal is raising funds for co-operative and credit union development programming to reduce global poverty. In the past, CDF has joined forces with the Canadian Cooperative Association (CCA) to implement several projects. CCA is a not-for-profit cooperative, which helps establish and strengthen co-operatives, credit unions and community based organizations. CCA and CDF have been working with Norandino, a multi-service co-operative in Northern Peru, to grow its business and bring needed services and benefits to more farmers in the region. The two boards partnered to improve and increase Norandino’s capacity to produce, Credit Union Family Day All Day, Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 During the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Westoba has been directly involved with CDF for the past 15 years by hosting a golf tournament raising in excess of $150,000.00. In November, Randy got to learn more about the Norandino project first hand… November 23rd – Travel day, arrived in Lima. Weather was 20°C during the day and 15°C at night; could get used to this. Turkeys for the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner For more information, follow us on MBCreditUnions, @MBCreditUnions or visit MBCreditUnions.ca 2 Montero process and market export quality fair trade organic coffee, cocoa and panela (cane sugar). Credit Union Family Day sponsored by the Credit Unions of Southwestern Manitoba Canadian stars, Sharon and Bram are performing throughout the day. A sing-along concert for the entire family, playing well-loved favourites like “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain”, “Five Little Monkeys”, and “Skinna-ma-rink”. RANDY’S TRAVELS The Credit Unions of Brandon partnered to help cover the cost of hundreds of turkeys for a community event that provides a much needed Christmas meal for many. Shown in the picture (left to right): Harry Bowler, C.E.O. of Sunrise Credit Union, Arnie Guist, C.E.O. of Crocus Credit Union,Tammy Waterfield of the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner, Ian Gerrard, C.E.O. of Vanguard Credit Union, Jim Rediger, C.E.O. of Westoba Credit Union, and Marc Cayer, store manager of Heritage Co-op. November 24th – Met with CDF Directors who were our guides for the next week. Our first visit was the Canadian Embassy where we learned more about Canada’s great interest in the mining sector in Peru. In having a short conversation with a staff member, it turned out he was from Manitoba and had heard of Westoba Credit Union. Small world! November 25th – Flew north to the desert city Piura. Met employees of the Norandino Co-op and toured a facility that took raw sugar cane powder and packaged it for export. It looks and tastes like brown sugar, only better! Toured a large warehouse facility used to store and grade green coffee beans, as well as cocoa beans. All of these products are grown by roughly 7,000 small farms in Peru all striving to be totally organic. The products are processed through very labour intensive means that are slowly being automated with the help of various funding agencies like CCA and CDF. November 26th – Travelled to the mountain village of Montero and visited farmers who produce coffee, cocoa and cane sugar. It was great to hear the men and women tell stories about how proud they felt It’s no surprise to us that our membership is made up of fascinating and remarkable individuals and now we want to share their stories with you! “Interesting members, doing interesting things…” includes stories told by our members, shared by our members and all about our members. Tell us what you’re involved in, your quirky facts and your amazing accomplishments.We want to hear it and we want to share it! Email [email protected] with your interesting tale. Coffee beans and cocoa beans ready to be shipped, Piura belonging to a co-op that could market their products from this lush little part of South America to all over the world. Part of the mandate for CCA and CDF is ensuring equality for women. There weren’t equal numbers of men and women producers but it was good to learn how women’s lives, and their families, had improved. These one to two hectare farms operate nothing like the farms here. There is no big machinery and cocoa pods and coffee beans are picked by hand. Introducing Roméo Lemieux — a Westoba member for 25 years, a retired (but never fully retired) teacher and most recently a published author. Roméo’s passion for great stories started in his early days as a farm kid, where he would wait out the November 27th – Explored Piura, met with the Board of Norandino and learned more about their five-year plan. CDF and CCA have funded this co-op over the last four years and given them nearly $1.4 million over that time. endless winter months with comics and novels. His love for stories continued into his career where his students would provide him constant inspiration with their imaginative and creative minds. His skillful niece, Connie Bischoff, is credited with the art photography in the book. Wondering what someone on the other side of the lens saw, Connie sent Roméo her pictures and he then wrote short You’ve been named as Executor… Do you know where to start? The cane sugar they sell in Canada is Camino.The coffee product is sold under various names but will have the Norandino fair trade stamp. Being named the Executor may be an honour, but it’s also a serious commitment. As Executor you are the person legally obligated to ensure the: November 28th – Spent a couple of hours reviewing experiences and all felt the Norandino Co-op was doing good work and living up to the mandate given. We could see them working towards gender equality for their members and that the three main products they market are highly regarded. • Estate assets are located, protected and properly disbursed; • debts, liabilities and taxes are identified and paid; and • beneficiaries are kept informed and treated fairly throughout the administration of the Estate To learn more about CDF or CCA visit www.cdfcanada.coop or www.coopscanada.coop. 3 You are expected to complete these tasks in a thoughtful, caring and efficient manner; often while you are experiencing the grieving process yourself. It can be a tough job and many who accept an Executor appointment don’t fully understand the duties, responsibilities and personal liabilities that come with it. We know this can be hard. Through our partnership with Concentra Trust, we offer members a program called Executor EASE, designed to assist Executors in their role in administering an Estate. Roméo Lemieux stories and poems to match them. On the flipside, Roméo would send Connie his written work and challenged her to take a picture to match. The exchanges of creative intelligence over the years lead to Right sideUPside Down!, a 200-page coffee table book that invites busy minds to sit for just a few minutes with a cup of coffee (or what have you) and share. 3 Membership Satisfaction Survey Tell us how we’re doing! Your opinion matters and we want to make sure we’re doing a good job from your eyes! • Prepare statements and reporting Mid-March Westoba is excited to launch our Member Satisfaction Survey. Start to finish, the survey will take 1015 minutes to complete. We want to know how you think our products and services, community engagement and member communications measure up. The results will give us the knowledge to make educated decisions on how to best meet the future wants and needs of our members. There is no initial cost and no obligation. Talk to us and we can set you up with a free consultation. Let us help you. More information to come! Details on how you can take part will be available in branches and at westoba.com. The Executor EASE program will help you: • Locate, assemble, and gather information • Understand and gather documentation • Establish Executor authority • Manage assets and liabilities Right sideUpside Down! is available online through FriesenPress, Indigo, and McNally Robinson, as well as at Lady of the Lake in Brandon. For more information about Mr. Roméo Lemieux’s book please connect by email: romeol@ mymts.net or by regular mail: Romeo Lemieux, 301-3420 Grant Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3R 3T5. How can you participate? There are lots of ways! 1. Online – Members can complete the survey online through a link at westoba.com. 2. In-Branch – Members can complete the survey inbranch at a computer kiosk or request a printed copy. 3.Phone – Some members will be contacted by a third party, Probe Research, and asked to participate in the survey. Please know that this is a legitimate phone call. Private member account and card numbers will not be requested. 4. Mail – You can request the survey be mailed to you to complete and return. 4 Brandon Member Solutions Team 2015 Board Elections An Online Voter FAQ Westoba is committed to continuing to offer excellent financial solutions to all members. No one person, family, business or farm is the same.When it comes to managing your finances, we understand that you have unique needs and we’re evolving to better meet them.We have created specialized Member and Business Solutions Teams.They are made up of knowledgeable staff, equipped with the necessary skills to offer you excellent personal, commercial and agricultural advice. Not to mention sound insurance and financial planning guidance. In the upcoming newsletters, we will introduce the teams who are working hard (in front and behind the scenes) with your best interests in mind. Let’s put a face to the name! Meet the Brandon Member Solutions Team… Why am I being asked to vote online? Can anyone find out who I voted for? Online voting is a highly efficient and cost-effective way for members to exercise their right to vote. Using this system allows more members the opportunity to vote and executing it online means we minimize our ecological footprint. It also means you are no longer required to attend an AGM or Information Meeting to be eligible to vote. No.Your vote is completely anonymous. We can only determine whether or not your vote has been cast. Can I vote using a mobile device? Yes, the online voting system is mobile-friendly. John Jansen Amber Van De Kerckhove Manager Member Solutions, 34th Street TeleService Supervisor Part of the Westoba family for 18 years Part of the Westoba family for 8 ½ years “I have lived in small towns my whole life and over the past year moved to Brandon with my family. Brandon may be a city, but we are enjoying the small town feel it offers. As member solution providers it’s our job to build relationships with our members, so we can advise them on the best product and services to make their financial dreams come true.” “I have had the opportunity to work in different areas in the branches and recently joined the TeleService Team as the Supervisor. At TeleService we have started to take MasterCard applications over the phone, process loan applications with same day or next day approval.We answer calls for all Westoba Branches and in 2014 the TeleService team answered over 73,000 inbound calls from members. We are looking forward to 2015 and what it will bring.” Melody Osudar Patti McEvoy Joshua Roels Associate Vice President, Member Solutions Brandon Manager Member Solutions, 10th Street Part of the Westoba family for 8 years, 25+ years in the financial industry Part of the Westoba family for 19 years Manager Member Solutions, Kirkcaldy/ 1st Street/Shilo “We are a full service Credit Union. Providing you Wealth Management services,WestProtect and Phillips Insurance options, a local Teleservice and many ATM’s located throughout the Brandon area.Westoba’s focus is providing excellent member service by creating solutions that work for our members. Our goal is to make it easy to do business with us.” “I recommend all staff to take a deeper interest in the members they serve. Ask the small questions like, “Are you heading away on a holiday this winter?” or “How many kids do you have?” You may be surprised at where these small questions lead you, and lead your relationship with your member.” Can a vote be cast more than once? No, the system will not allow a voter identification to be used more than once. Regardless of where you vote (online or inbranch), once your vote is cast, attempting to use it again will result in an error code. Is online voting safe? How are the votes calculated? Yes. Our online voting system is a stand-alone software system that is not directly attached to the Westoba database.There is no connection to member account information. Votes are automatically tabulated online after the voter confirms the selections made.The vote is considered cast at that time and the tabulation is updated immediately by the system. Part of the Westoba family for 8 years What happens to my private information after the election? Has it been secure through the process? This system is not linked directly to any member database.Your member number and postal code reside in the database used in the voting application. During the voting process, the database is held in an independent server. This data is encrypted on the server in a locked ISO with 256bit encryption to encapsulate the data. After the election results are announced, the system’s database will be destroyed. Nice to Meet Ya’ Neighbour! How do businesses, corporations, or organizations appoint one person to vote on their behalf? There is a form on westoba.com that can be printed, signed and returned to MNP LLP, the returning officer. Once this is completed, the organization will be provided with a voter identifier code. Introducing the Managers of our Brandon Member Solutions Team. See page 5 Mark Your Calendars 2015 Information Meetings Monday, April 13 – District 5 (Glenboro/Ninette/Belmont) Wednesday, April 15 – District 2 (Carberry) Monday, April 20 – District 4 (Rivers) Credit Union Wednesday, April 22 – District 8 (Killarney/Cartwright) “Having grown up in and around Brandon, I have always known this is a fantastic community to live and raise a family. I believe you have to do what others won’t to achieve what others don’t and like to work and live with that model in mind. At Westoba we listen and work with our members to find solutions to best suit their needs.This is what sets us apart.” FAMILY DAY 2015 Annual General Meeting Wednesday, April 29 – District 1 (Brandon/Shilo) Watch in branch, online and in local newspapers for locations and times to be announced. Toll-Free 1-877-WESTOBA 1-877-937-8622 Meet Lyle, a bull on a member’s farm southeast of Onanole. TeleService Representatives: Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm • Saturday 8 am to 4 pm Automated TeleService: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| westoba.com 5 Picture credit: Pennie Nylen. During this year’s Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon, the Credit Unions serving southwestern Manitoba are sponsoring Credit Union Family Day. On Wednesday, April 1st, Canadian stars Sharon and Bram will have performances throughout the day! For more details around the day see page 2. Membership Satisfaction Survey Your opinion matters. Let us know how we’re doing! See page 4 RRSP Contest Think about your Future You and find out how you can win $500 towards your 2015 contribution! See page 4 This newsletter is printed on paper containing 10% recycled content. ® TELESERVICE is a registered trademark owned by Vancouver City Savings Credit Union and is used under licence. ® ACCULINK & Design are registered trademarks owned by the Credit Union Central of Canada and are used under licence. ™ CU@HOME is a trademark owned by Credit Union Central of Canada and is used under licence. ® MEMBER CARD Design is a registered certification mark owned by Credit Union Central of Canada and is used under licence. ® INTERAC & Design are registered trademarks owned by Interac Inc., authorized user of the mark. ® CIRRUS & Design are registered trademarks owned by Cirrus System Inc. and are used under licence. ® MAESTRO is a registered trademark owned by Maestro International Inc. and is used under licence. ® MASTERCARD & Design are registered trademarks owned by MasterCard International Inc. 6 This is your newsletter and we want to know what you think. Send your comments and story suggestions to [email protected] WINTER 2015 Brandon Member Solutions Team 2015 Board Elections An Online Voter FAQ Westoba is committed to continuing to offer excellent financial solutions to all members. No one person, family, business or farm is the same.When it comes to managing your finances, we understand that you have unique needs and we’re evolving to better meet them.We have created specialized Member and Business Solutions Teams.They are made up of knowledgeable staff, equipped with the necessary skills to offer you excellent personal, commercial and agricultural advice. Not to mention sound insurance and financial planning guidance. In the upcoming newsletters, we will introduce the teams who are working hard (in front and behind the scenes) with your best interests in mind. Let’s put a face to the name! Meet the Brandon Member Solutions Team… Why am I being asked to vote online? Can anyone find out who I voted for? Online voting is a highly efficient and cost-effective way for members to exercise their right to vote. Using this system allows more members the opportunity to vote and executing it online means we minimize our ecological footprint. It also means you are no longer required to attend an AGM or Information Meeting to be eligible to vote. No.Your vote is completely anonymous. We can only determine whether or not your vote has been cast. Can I vote using a mobile device? Yes, the online voting system is mobile-friendly. John Jansen Amber Van De Kerckhove Manager Member Solutions, 34th Street TeleService Supervisor Part of the Westoba family for 18 years Part of the Westoba family for 8 ½ years “I have lived in small towns my whole life and over the past year moved to Brandon with my family. Brandon may be a city, but we are enjoying the small town feel it offers. As member solution providers it’s our job to build relationships with our members, so we can advise them on the best product and services to make their financial dreams come true.” “I have had the opportunity to work in different areas in the branches and recently joined the TeleService Team as the Supervisor. At TeleService we have started to take MasterCard applications over the phone, process loan applications with same day or next day approval.We answer calls for all Westoba Branches and in 2014 the TeleService team answered over 73,000 inbound calls from members. We are looking forward to 2015 and what it will bring.” Melody Osudar Patti McEvoy Joshua Roels Associate Vice President, Member Solutions Brandon Manager Member Solutions, 10th Street Part of the Westoba family for 8 years, 25+ years in the financial industry Part of the Westoba family for 19 years Manager Member Solutions, Kirkcaldy/ 1st Street/Shilo “We are a full service Credit Union. Providing you Wealth Management services,WestProtect and Phillips Insurance options, a local Teleservice and many ATM’s located throughout the Brandon area.Westoba’s focus is providing excellent member service by creating solutions that work for our members. Our goal is to make it easy to do business with us.” “I recommend all staff to take a deeper interest in the members they serve. Ask the small questions like, “Are you heading away on a holiday this winter?” or “How many kids do you have?” You may be surprised at where these small questions lead you, and lead your relationship with your member.” Can a vote be cast more than once? No, the system will not allow a voter identification to be used more than once. Regardless of where you vote (online or inbranch), once your vote is cast, attempting to use it again will result in an error code. Is online voting safe? How are the votes calculated? Yes. Our online voting system is a stand-alone software system that is not directly attached to the Westoba database.There is no connection to member account information. Votes are automatically tabulated online after the voter confirms the selections made.The vote is considered cast at that time and the tabulation is updated immediately by the system. Part of the Westoba family for 8 years What happens to my private information after the election? Has it been secure through the process? This system is not linked directly to any member database.Your member number and postal code reside in the database used in the voting application. During the voting process, the database is held in an independent server. This data is encrypted on the server in a locked ISO with 256bit encryption to encapsulate the data. After the election results are announced, the system’s database will be destroyed. Nice to Meet Ya’ Neighbour! How do businesses, corporations, or organizations appoint one person to vote on their behalf? There is a form on westoba.com that can be printed, signed and returned to MNP LLP, the returning officer. Once this is completed, the organization will be provided with a voter identifier code. Introducing the Managers of our Brandon Member Solutions Team. See page 5 Mark Your Calendars 2015 Information Meetings Monday, April 13 – District 5 (Glenboro/Ninette/Belmont) Wednesday, April 15 – District 2 (Carberry) Monday, April 20 – District 4 (Rivers) Credit Union Wednesday, April 22 – District 8 (Killarney/Cartwright) “Having grown up in and around Brandon, I have always known this is a fantastic community to live and raise a family. I believe you have to do what others won’t to achieve what others don’t and like to work and live with that model in mind. At Westoba we listen and work with our members to find solutions to best suit their needs.This is what sets us apart.” FAMILY DAY 2015 Annual General Meeting Wednesday, April 29 – District 1 (Brandon/Shilo) Watch in branch, online and in local newspapers for locations and times to be announced. Toll-Free 1-877-WESTOBA 1-877-937-8622 Meet Lyle, a bull on a member’s farm southeast of Onanole. TeleService Representatives: Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm • Saturday 8 am to 4 pm Automated TeleService: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| westoba.com 5 Picture credit: Pennie Nylen. During this year’s Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon, the Credit Unions serving southwestern Manitoba are sponsoring Credit Union Family Day. On Wednesday, April 1st, Canadian stars Sharon and Bram will have performances throughout the day! For more details around the day see page 2. Membership Satisfaction Survey Your opinion matters. Let us know how we’re doing! See page 4 RRSP Contest Think about your Future You and find out how you can win $500 towards your 2015 contribution! See page 4 This newsletter is printed on paper containing 10% recycled content. ® TELESERVICE is a registered trademark owned by Vancouver City Savings Credit Union and is used under licence. ® ACCULINK & Design are registered trademarks owned by the Credit Union Central of Canada and are used under licence. ™ CU@HOME is a trademark owned by Credit Union Central of Canada and is used under licence. ® MEMBER CARD Design is a registered certification mark owned by Credit Union Central of Canada and is used under licence. ® INTERAC & Design are registered trademarks owned by Interac Inc., authorized user of the mark. ® CIRRUS & Design are registered trademarks owned by Cirrus System Inc. and are used under licence. ® MAESTRO is a registered trademark owned by Maestro International Inc. and is used under licence. ® MASTERCARD & Design are registered trademarks owned by MasterCard International Inc. 6 This is your newsletter and we want to know what you think. Send your comments and story suggestions to [email protected] WINTER 2015