Our legacy of transformation continues to help our members on their financial journey
THESE WORDS posited by the visionary Nelson Mandela are indeed befitting of the commemoration of First Heritage Cooperative Credit Union’s (FHC’S) 10th Anniversary. In celebrating our decade of business operations as a merged entity we reflect on our combined, one hundred year legacy of providing innovative financial solutions for our members, as we highlight this milestone and commemorate the achievements of the Credit Union. Together, our team visions for the future, as we forge ahead on our journey.
Our legacy of transformation encompasses structural, operational and human resource capacities that continue to help our members evolve in their financial wellness journey. We stand today as one of the largest Credit Unions in Jamaica serving in excess of 200,000 members island wide and attribute much of our success to executing defined member-centric strategies as well as having the unwavering commitment of a world-class team, and undoubtedly, our loyal members.
The past decade has been marked by meaningful and solid partnerships which support our philosophy of helping people to succeed financially, and become their best selves by putting them on the right financial path. Our esteemed members recognize the differentiated value we bring to them, through our tailor-made superior service, the provision of carefully curated creative products and services, as well as our responsiveness to their needs.
Our agile approach to serving our members extends to creating value added products steeped in convenience. Our micro business loans encourage the entrepreneurial spirit and provide capacity for members to grow their financial value. This practical approach to our product development is reflected in loan products such as the recently launched Student Work & Travel Loan (SWAT) and Cash in Flash Loan which reiterates our commitment to meeting the needs of our consumers as they navigate fast paced, ever changing life experiences.
In tandem with supporting our members on their financial wellness journey, we have also earned an admirable reputation as a credit union that takes great pride in family, service and community. Through our Foundation, we have been able to impact the lives of many, particularly our youth who reside in and around the communities in which we operate.
As our education system navigated a time of unprecedented change during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we supported the Government of Jamaica’s Tablets in Schools initiative with a donation of 100 tablets to ensure continuity in training for students, including those who are a part of the differently abled community.
We are pleased that as we celebrate this ten-year mark, we have made history by becoming the first Credit Union to offer a Starter Membership tier for tertiary level students and the underbanked sector.
The critical mission of facilitating financial literacy, enablement of the underserved and access to financial services is the bedrock of the new Starter Membership tier. Persons 18 - 24 years of age and persons who fall within the low-income threshold will now have access to lower membership fees with an opportunity to transition to full membership after three years.
Through our subsidiary FHC Investments, we are also now the first Credit Union to hold a Member-dealer Licence and offer stockbrokerage services, further deepening our commitment to financial enablement and being a forerunner in designing unique offerings that support our members’ needs at every stage of life; along with many more noteworthy milestones of which we are proud.
Additionally, our FHC Foundation continues to celebrate our members through awards programmes including the Civil Servants of the Year Awards and Entrepreneur Awards. Our commitment to youth development is consistent through education scholarships including PEP and Tertiary grants.
As we enter the next chapter of our legacy, we take on the challenge of replicating our success to prove that what we have achieved was not a stroke of luck, but the outcome of well-executed strategic initiatives by a team of committed professionals.
Happy 10th Anniversary my FHC Family; and cheers to another ten to come and beyond!
“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.”
ROXANN LINTON
Chief Executive Officer
First Heritage Co-operative Credit Union
In tandem with supporting our members on their financial wellness journey, we have also earned an admirable reputation as a credit union that takes great pride in family, service and community. Through our Foundation, we have been able to impact the lives of many, particularly our youth who reside in and around the communities in which we operate.