Paul V. Parish
President/CEO
The announcement of the merger between Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines leaves me with mixed emotions. I understand the difficult economic realities of the airline business today and the need for the merger but I'm also a bit sad at the changes that will inevitably come. I am not ashamed to say that I'll miss seeing the familiar red tails in the sky.
Wings Financial was born as the Northwest Airlines Credit Union in a basement room of the old Northwest headquarters on University Avenue in St. Paul, Minn., in November 1938. It was founded by seven visionary Northwest employees who saw the promise of cooperative financial services and the benefit of members helping members. For the past 70 years, we've served Northwest Airlines employees, retirees and their families, and I'm proud to say we've served them well.
A Look at Us Today
The Wings Financial of today is far different than the credit union established in
1938. We have nearly $2 billion in assets with 119,000 members in all 50 states
and many foreign countries. Our membership includes employees from more than
35 airlines and 80 air transportation companies. In 2007, our members visited
our Web site more than 6 million times and conducted more than 25 million
financial transactions. We have 17 offices stretching from Atlanta in the east to
Honolulu in the west – with more to come.
Despite the changes we've seen and the changes yet to come, we're still focused on the needs of our members. At Wings, we like to say, "Once a member, always a member." No matter where our members go or what they do, their membership in Wings Financial remains. Our strength lies in our membership, and we'll do our best to help our members – whatever their financial needs may be.
Business as Usual
I've been asked by members what changes they can expect to see at Wings
Financial as a result of the merger. The short answer is, "We'll be busy helping
those displaced by the merger, but overall, not much." At present we have no
plans to change the locations of any of our offices or modify our operating
hours. Our business remains strong, and our financials remain solid. It really
is "business as usual" for Wings Financial.
You're fortunate to be a member-owner of one of the strongest credit unions in the country. While there will certainly be changes in the airline industry in the months ahead, we'll keep our focus on what we do best, serving our membership with the best financial products and services available. We're proud of our 70-year heritage of serving those in air transportation, and we're looking forward to continuing that service long into the future.
Paul V. Parish
President/CEO
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