FAIRWINDS Vice President Stresses Importance of Financial Literacy Efforts
FAIRWINDS Vice President of Community Relations and Government Affairs and Executive Director of FAIRWINDS Foundation Elisha González was featured as a guest columnist in the Orlando Sentinel. April is National Financial Literacy Month and Elisha shared how investing in financial literacy efforts benefits communities. With the average debt-to income ratio in Central Florida climbing to 36%, many residents are spending over a third of their income just to pay down debt. According to the National Endowment
FAIRWINDS Credit Union Now Offering Bank On Certified Checking Account
FAIRWINDS Credit Union’s Freedom Builder Account been certified as meeting the Bank On National Account Standards. This certification is awarded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund and highlights FAIRWINDS’ commitment to helping individuals become economically responsible and financially secure. The Freedom Builder Account has been certified by Bank On for meeting its National Account Standards as a low-cost, low-fee account. The FAIRWINDS Freedom Builder Account offers: No minimum
Fairwinds Credit Union And Orange County Government Join Forces To Promote Consumer Protection
FAIRWINDS Credit Union and Orange County Government recently joined forces to promote consumer protection and identity theft. Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings and the Board of County Commissioners proclaimed March 2-8 as National Consumer Protection Week in Orange County, and recognized FAIRWINDS as the presenting sponsor for the county’s Shred-N-Go Drive Thru event on Saturday, March 8. The drive helped residents safely dispose of sensitive documents to protect against identity theft and safeguard the
FAIRWINDS Credit Union Announces Kim Wightman as Chief Financial Officer
Kim Wightman has been named Chief Financial Officer for FAIRWINDS Credit Union, succeeding longtime CFO Kathy Chonody. Chonody retired on February 28 after serving FAIRWINDS for 44 years. As Chief Financial Officer, Wightman leads the credit union’s financial strategy, ensuring operational excellence while overseeing accounting, financial operations, asset and liability management, and the investment portfolio. Kim previously served as executive vice president, finance, one of several positions she has
FAIRWINDS Becomes the First Credit Union to be Endorsed Nationally by The Ramsey Show
Dave Ramsey, one of the world’s leading personal finance experts and host of The Ramsey Show, began endorsing Orlando-headquartered FAIRWINDS Credit Union in August of 2024. FAIRWINDS was vetted and approved to be the recommended national personal checking and savings provider of The Ramsey Show. The $4.7 billion credit union has developed a combined checking and savings account bundle created just for the Ramsey audience. Members can enjoy lower fees, better interest rates, and easy access to their
FAIRWINDS Foundation Announces Recipients of 2025 Grants
FAIRWINDS Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that serves as the philanthropic arm of FAIRWINDS Credit Union, today announced the recipients of its 2025 grants at a breakfast event held at Full Sail Live attended by community leaders and sixteen organizations embodying the Foundation’s core purpose of improving lives through financial well-being.Increasing its year-over-year grants by $100,000, this year’s total of $500,000 is the largest to date for FAIRWINDS Foundation. Since 2018, the
FAIRWINDS Credit Union and FAIRWINDS Foundation Named National Philanthropy Day Winners
FAIRWINDS Credit Union and the FAIRWINDS Foundation were named 2024 National Philanthropy Day Award winners by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) of Central Florida Chapter in the following categories: • Corporate and Foundation Impact• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Winners were recognized at the AFP Central Florida’s 2024 National Philanthropy Day Awards ceremony on November 15. First celebrated in 1986, National Philanthropy Day us an annual observance on November 15 that is
Elisha González Named One of Orlando Magazine’s “Ones to Watch”
Elisha González, Vice President, Community Relations and Government Affairs, and Executive Director for the FAIRWINDS Foundation was named of Orlando Magazine’s 2024 “50 Most Powerful People: Ones to Watch.” The annual awards recognize Central Florida leaders who are making an impact. From the Orlando Magazine website: “These leaders each make their indelible mark on the Central Florida community in a unique way. They come from numerous passions and pursuits, and Orlando is all the better because of
Hispanic Entrepreneurs Reach Economic Prosperity With Support From FAIRWINDS Foundation
In 2016, Milna Maldonado left corporate America to launch her own business. She saw an opportunity in Central Florida to offer a higher level of personalized service in the commercial cleaning and janitorial supplies industry. “Like many people who become entrepreneurs, we started the business (Prime Services LLC) with a little bit of faith and the courage to jump in,” Maldonado said. “I had knowledge from the corporate world and I have an MBA, but I knew I probably didn’t have everything I needed to
FAIRWINDS Credit Union Raises $150,000 in Annual Give Generously Campaign
FAIRWINDS Credit Union announced today the total amount raised during its annual employee Give Generously Campaign at a reception honoring its non-profit partner recipients and employees. Each year FAIRWINDS hosts an employee fundraising campaign to benefit local non-profit organizations in the community. This year, employees pledged $75,000 during the two-week campaign with a $75,000 match from FAIRWINDS totaling $150,000, surpassing last year’s total of more than $104,000. “FAIRWINDS was founded more
FAIRWINDS Credit Union Wins Multiple Reader’s Choice Awards
FAIRWINDS Credit Union has recently been recognized as a reader’s choice favorite by several publications in Central Florida. These awards include: “Best Credit Union in Orlando” – Orlando Magazine “Best Financial Institution” – Orlando Weekly “Best Credit Union in Lake County” – Clermont Sun and Triangle Sun From Orlando Magazine’s website about FAIRWINDS: “Helping people achieve financial freedom is key at FAIRWINDS Credit Union. It helps its members build their savings with the Change It Up
FAIRWINDS Shops with the Sheriff
FAIRWINDS Credit Union is deeply invested in the well-being of the Central Florida community, contributing resources and volunteers to numerous organizations throughout the year. Recently, FAIRWINDS joined with more than a dozen other corporate partners, community agencies, and presenting sponsor AdventHealth during the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office’s Shop with the Sherriff. The annual back-to-school event supports students who need assistance preparing for the new school year. The annual Shop with the
FAIRWINDS Credit Union Awarded on the Forbes America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2024
FAIRWINDS Credit Union has been awarded on the Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2024. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The awards list was announced on June 18, 2024, and can be viewed on the Forbes website. FAIRWINDS is ranked one of the top three best credit unions in Florida. America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2024 ranking lists the institutions that stood out for fulfilling the
FAIRWINDS Foundation Making a Difference to Future Central Florida Homeowners
FAIRWINDS Community Relations Manager Adrian Kierulf-Velez was interviewed by WESH 2 reporter Gail Paschall-Brown regarding how the FAIRWINDS Foundation’s support of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando and Osceola County can help future homeowners in the Central Florida community. In celebration of National Homeownership Month, WESH 2 shared soon-to-be homeowner Ambar Velazquez’s journey through the support of Habitat for Humanity and community partners including the FAIRWINDS Foundation. "It's a
Popular Scams to Avoid: Phishing, Vishing, and Smishing
With so many different cybercrimes, it can be difficult to understand what they all mean. Among these threats are "phishing," "vishing," and "smishing." These are tactics used by cybercriminals to trick us into revealing our personal information. It’s important to understand how these scams work so you can safeguard your financial and personal information with confidence.Phishing A phishing scheme is where scammers send you emails that look legitimate, pretending to be someone you know or from a trusted
5 Reasons Why You Need a Business Checking Account
If you are considering starting a business or already have one, you may wonder whether you need a separate bank account. While it may seem easier to use your personal accounts for everything, this can cause you more problems in the long run. We’ll help you understand why you should have a business account and how you can get started with opening one.1. Tax Compliance With a separate business bank account, it’s easier to file your taxes and report your income and expenses to the IRS. You can also deduct
Adrian Kierulf-Velez Named One of Orlando Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40
ORLANDO, FL (May 22, 2024) – FAIRWINDS Community Relations Manager Adrian Kierulf-Velez was selected to join the Orlando Business Journal’s40 Under 40 Class of 2024. This annual awards program recognizes young professionals in Central Florida who are actively making an impact. From the Orlando Business Journal’s website: “Each year, the 40 Under 40 Awards honor 40 rising stars in the local business world who have distinguished themselves in their companies, their communities, and their industries
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FAIRWINDS Credit Union Launches New Employee Volunteer Program
As part of their 75-year commitment to serving the community, FAIRWINDS Credit Union has introduced a new volunteerism and workplace benefit for all of its employees. The CommUNITY Crew Volunteer Program aims to empower FAIRWINDS employees to make a positive impact in their communities by providing every employee up to 8 hours of paid time off annually to volunteer. The CommUNITY Crew Volunteer Program reflects FAIRWINDS’ commitment to living generously and fostering a culture of giving back. By
Florida Credit Unions Designated as Public Depositories
FAIRWINDS Credit Union President and CEO Larry Tobin was quoted by Credit Union Times regarding a new law that will enable credit unions to do business with certain public entities – a space once reserved only for banks. On May 3, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the historic piece of legislation allowing credit unions to be designated as public depositories. Tobin told editors at the national credit union trade publication that the signing of HB 989 is a "significant win for credit unions in Florida on
