Press
Whitefish Credit Union partners with Flathead County Fairgrounds
KALISPELL, MT (July 25, 2014) — Whitefish Credit Union, Montana’s largest credit union, is pleased to announce the beginning of a new partnership agreement with the Flathead County Fairgrounds.
The agreement marks the first-ever sponsorship for the 112-year-old Fairgrounds and is a unique way for the Credit Union to reach members of the local community, according to Mike Blubaugh, Whitefish Credit Union’s Chief Financial Officer.
“This partnership goes directly to the proposition that Whitefish Credit Union desires to be fully engaged in the local communities we serve,” said Blubaugh. “We are always exploring new and unique opportunities to increase awareness of the many products and services we offer and to make those products and services available to our members when and where they want them. Given the number of events that the Fairgrounds sponsors and supports each year, we felt that this gives us that opportunity.”
Announcing the partnership, Fairgrounds Manager Mark Campbell emphasized the dedication to community involvement and support shared by the two organizations.
“Without community support and participation, then our programs, our events, and our activities don’t exist,” explained Campbell. “We’re very pleased that Whitefish Credit Union has trusted in us to go into this relationship. They’re an outstanding organization that has a nearly 80 year history of service to this region. They, just as the Fairgrounds, are built on providing community support and growth to what’s important for the residents of our area. It means a lot to us that they’ve seen where we’re heading and are now helping us to get there.”
In the near future, the Flathead County Fairgrounds will host its largest event of the year, the Northwest Montana Fair. Organizers expect to welcome around 78,000 attendees to this year’s event. That makes now a perfect time to begin this partnership, according to Jim Kenyon, Whitefish Credit Union’s President and CEO.
“This marks an exciting new chapter in the history of our Credit Union,” said Kenyon. “This partnership allows Whitefish Credit Union to further promote our message of thrift and financial responsibility to an even wider audience throughout the year.”
In addition to the Northwest Montana Fair, the Flathead County Fairgrounds hosts more than 200 individual events throughout the year, including the Montana Sportsman’s Expo, the Home & Garden Showcase, and several firearm shows. Between the shows and events, Campbell estimates that the Fairgrounds will host more than 200,000 guests during 2014. Kenyon said this new level of exposure will help the Credit Union carry on its mission to provide affordable saving and lending options to the residents of Northwest Montana.
“The Fairgrounds have grown in attendance, participation, and event use the last few years,” said Campbell. “With Whitefish Credit Union as a partner, the events and activities will have a much better connection to the community, and we expect participation to increase. This relationship is a great fit for both of us. Their slogan of ‘We belong to you’ couldn’t describe better the Fair and Fairgrounds.”
About Flathead County Fairgrounds:
For more than 112 years, the Flathead County Fairgrounds has been a valuable resource of education, social recreation, and commerce for the residents of Flathead County. The facilities are used extensively throughout the year for events that serve the region’s residents and guests from throughout the Northwest.
About Whitefish Credit Union:
Whitefish Credit Union is a respected leader in the financial services industry. State chartered in 1934, it has gone on to become the largest credit union in Montana with more than $1 billion in assets. Today, the Whitefish Credit Union manages six branches throughout the state, which serve the financial cooperative’s more than 55,000 member