The Alaska Contractor: Fall 2006

with have a smaller business feel. It’s
not like you’re dealing with this huge
corporation from Outside. Our members
can see that they do matter to us,”
Hamilton said.
Usera agreed.
“Up here, credit unions are the primary
fi nancial providers to individuals
and business, unlike Outside. In
Alaska, there’s a lot more
accountability because
we’re not nameless and
faceless. AlaskaUSA is
its people, its members.
Helping small businesses
grow and become successful
is what we do.”
Usera said AlaskaUSA
holds a unique position in
Alaska’s fi nancial landscape.
“AlaskaUSA is the only credit union
authorized by an act of Congress to
provide fi nancial services to the Bush.
We have a branch in Bethel, the hub
of the Y-K Delta,” she said. That act of
Congress, passed in 1984, gave the
credit union congressional authority to
serve Alaska’s Natives on a permanent
basis. AlaskaUSA also has branches in
Kodiak, North Pole, Soldotna, Homer,
and Ketchikan, as well as Anchorage,
Fairbanks, Juneau and the Matanuska
Valley.
AlaskaUSA FCU was also one of
the fi rst credit unions to have a call
center open 16 hours a day, seven
days a week for customers, and it was
the fi rst credit union to have a branch
open seven days a week.
Construction season keeps AlaskaUSA
FCU hopping. The credit
union recently helped Allure Day Spa
in downtown Anchorage expand to a
new facility after a fi re decimated its
old building. AlaskaUSA assisted the
owners of the recently completed Pet
Emergency Center on Dowling and
Lake Otis in Anchorage.
In Palmer, they were heavily involved
in a recent four-bay retail center
that was just completed, home to
a Great Alaska Pizza Company and
Great Clips salon, among other businesses.
They also helped a couple in
Sterling build their dream business: a
taxidermy and gift shop.
“When these projects start, they
have a vision. You have to put it on
paper and look at what’s feasible and
what’s going to work and if the client
has selected a contractor yet, “ Hamilton
said. “We then put the fi nancing
together that can accommodate what
their request will be.”
No matter where the future may
take the cooperative, Hamilton, Usera
and Vice President of Marketing Eliza-
beth Behlke agree that AlaskaUSA has
a responsibility to its Alaska roots.
“AlaskaUSA allows all employees
two days paid time off annually
for charitable events - things like fun
runs and Day of Caring,” she said. “Part
of our community responsibility is to
provide community fi nancial support
as well. There’s a giving program that
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALASKAUSA
provides support to community initiatives,
like spring cleaning, school
carnivals, grad blasts, etc. Applications
can just be downloaded by any organization
off our Web site. One of our
interests with AGC is sponsoring their
awards banquet every year.”
Usera said she has a clear picture
in mind of the next 10 years and what
AlaskaUSA Federal Credit
Union’s place will be in the
state’s fi nancial landscape.
“We want to be the primary
provider of fi nancial
services to all Alaskans,”
she said. “We’re getting
there. We also want to be
a distinct neighborhood
fi nancial institution in
the Pacifi c Northwest. We
want to continue to provide fi nancial
services to customers everywhere in
the world. When we think of our role
moving into the future, we want to be
the quality and preferred fi nancial institution.”
Tiffany Horvath is a Wasilla-based
freelance writer.
Fall 2006 The Alaska CONTRACTOR 61