37 banks, credit unions and military-affiliated organizations awarded 2018 America Saves Designation of Savings Excellence
WASHINGTON, DC (May 30, 2018) — America Saves announced today that 15 banks, 17 credit unions and five military-affiliated organizations were awarded the America Saves Designation of Savings Excellence for their extraordinary efforts to motivate their community to build personal savings during America Saves Week/Military Saves Week. The award is presented annually to organizations that succeed in getting people to open or add to wealth-building accounts.
“At a time when just two in five American households report making good or excellence savings progress, these organizations are going above and beyond to encourage and support their community to save,” said George Barany, America Saves Director. “This year’s designees are the leaders in their field at responding to the savings crisis by working directly with American families to open and add to savings accounts. These banks, credit unions and military-affiliated organizations don’t just tell people why it’s important to save, they help them do it.”
America Saves Week/Military Saves Week is an annual opportunity for Americans to assess their savings status and make a plan to start or increase saving, and for organizations to support good savings behavior. America Saves Week is coordinated each year by America Saves and the American Savings Education Council.
“Based on national research, the one thing we know is that when we help people save, they are able to chart a brighter financial future and weather unexpected financial challenges,” said Gigi Hyland, National Credit Union Foundation Executive Director. “As Chair of the America Saves Designation of Savings Excellence credit union selection committee, the Foundation is proud to help advance credit unions’ efforts to help members save through the America Saves on the Designation and America Saves Week.”
“The America Saves Designation for Savings Excellence is a distinction awarded to banks that promotes a savings culture among their customers,” said Steven Lepper, Association of Military Banks of America President and Chief Executive Officer. “The 2018 designation recognizes those banks that led the way toward a common goal of maximizing savings by employing unique and innovative approaches to money management. Through education, marketing and other mechanisms designed to increase awareness about the why and how of saving money, this year’s designation recipients are helping to build the financial security of thousands of individuals and families across multiple generations of Americans. It’s with great pride that we recognize these outstanding banks.”
“The recipients of the inaugural Designation of Savings Excellence for financial readiness centers and military-affiliated organizations are a critical part of the infrastructure in fostering regular saving habits in military families,” said Amy Mauton, Armed Forces Bank Senior Vice President. “These exceptional organizations employed creative and accessible campaign efforts to celebrate the tenants of Military Saves not only during the week-long celebration, but as life-long behavior. It is this behavior that will help savers achieve a degree of financial independence, which will enable them to choose and achieve professional, educational and financial goals.”
This is the fourth year the America Saves Designation of Savings Excellence has been awarded.
2018 America Saves Designation of Savings Excellence Recipients
Banks:
- Armed Forces Bank
- BancorpSouth Bank
- Bank of America
- Bank of Guam
- Broadway Bank
- Farmers Savings Bank
- First Arkansas Bank & Trust
- First Commonwealth Bank
- Fort Hood National Bank
- Home Federal Bank
- M&T Bank Corporation
- Mechanics Bank
- SmartyPig by Sallie Mae Bank
- Southern Bancorp
- WesBanco Bank, Inc.
Credit unions:
- AFFCU, A Federal Credit Union
- Andrews Federal Credit Union
- Beach Municipal Federal Credit Union
- Bi-County PTC Federal Credit Union
- Eglin Federal Credit Union
- Hanscom Federal Credit Union
- Harvard University Employees Credit Union
- Jax Federal Credit Union
- Keys Federal Credit Union
- MECU of Baltimore
- Navy Federal Credit Union
- New Horizons Credit Union
- Pacific Marine Credit Union
- Pioneer Valley Credit Union
- R.I.A. Federal Credit Union
- Service Credit Union
- Westmark Credit Union
Military-affiliated organizations:
- Kadena Air Base, Japan: Airman and Family Readiness Center
- Peterson Air Force Base, Colo: Airman & Family Readiness Center Personal Finance Readiness
- Naval Base San Diego, Calif.: Fleet & Family Support Center
- Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.: youth program
- Travis Air Force Base, Calif.: Base & Family Readiness Center
For more information about the America Saves Designation of Excellence visit:
Bank Designation: http://americasavesweek.org/america-saves-designation-of-excellence-for-banks-criteria/
Credit Union Designation: http://americasavesweek.org/america-saves-designation-of-excellence-for-credit-unions/
About America Saves
America Saves is a campaign managed by the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America that uses the principles of behavioral economics and social marketing to motivate, encourage, and support low- to moderate-income households to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth. America Saves encourages individuals and families to take the America Saves pledge and organizations to promote savings year-round and during America Saves Week. Learn more at americasaves.org and americasavesweek.org.
About Military Saves
Military Saves is an America Saves initiative and a partner in the U.S. Department of Defense’s Financial Readiness Campaign. Using the principles of social marketing and behavioral economics to motivate, Military Saves is a research-based campaign to support, and encourage military families to save money and build wealth. Military Saves encourages all service members, their families, and civilian employees to take the Military Saves pledge and for organizations to promote savings year-round and during Military Saves Week. Learn more at militarysaves.org.
