Our Mission: Providing exceptional value to credit unions nationwide.

Our History: It all began more than 30 years ago with a promise to address the needs of credit unions. In less than three years, Southwest Corporate had attracted more than a thousand members. New programs such as share certificates, money market certificates, credit card settlements, and security safekeeping were introduced. By 1979, Southwest Corporate had eight full time employees. Read about Southwest Corporate today

In 1980, Southwest Corporate met the criteria of a "banker's bank" and the standards of the NCUA board, thus allowing approval by the Federal Reserves' Board of Governors as a pass-through correspondent for credit unions. By 1981, Southwest Corporate had topped the $100 million mark in assets. It asked members what they needed and responded with a Corporate Share Draft program and longer-termed certificates.

The continued introduction of new services - such as a Funds Transfer System that provided an economical and efficient way for credit unions to transfer funds from bank accounts to Southwest Corporate - caused assets to top $500 million in 1982. Southwest Corporate announced a plan with Western Union in 1983 to develop a new, fully automated funds transfer program. Southwest Corporate was the only financial institution in the country to offer the service, utilizing Western Union's nationwide network of money transfer agents.

Still growing and expanding, Southwest Corporate restructured its membership accounts in 1984 - creating cash management funds and daily share accounts based on the level of capital membership. And then, two years later, it restructured its image, adopting a new logo and the Partnership & Performance theme.

By the mid-80s, the technology age was beginning to emerge. Southwest Corporate introduced CUFS as a means to let members access account information in an increasingly faster paced, more complex environment. Member satisfaction could be measured as Southwest Corporate surpassed the $2 billion mark in 1989. And with more than 30 full time employees, Southwest Corporate began offering Asset/Liability Management Services to Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico in 1991.

During the early 1990s, a decision was made to recast the corporate's investment advisory service as NIAS (the Network Investment Advisory Service) to reflect the credit union network status developed in serving 67 credit unions located across the country. Dealing with an increasingly complex financial marketplace gave rise to additional Southwest Corporate products and services during that time. Southwest Corporate introduced CUFUND in 1992. It was the first time any credit union was authorized to directly advise a mutual fund.

The mid-90s saw Southwest Corporate turn 20 years old, and embark upon a period of dynamic change. In short order, the corporate acquired the item processing division from the Texas Credit Union League, moved its offices, and said good-bye to its longtime CEO, John Arnold. Francis Lee, formerly of WesCorp, was selected to lead Southwest Corporate into the next century. But first, Southwest Corporate had to prepare for it.

While it began its work on Y2K in 1995, formal plans were actually developed in 1998. But Y2K preparations didn't dominate the entire landscape during the second half of the 1990s. Southwest Corporate merged with the Oklahoma Corporate in 1997, the same year that imaging services and a website were announced.

Those activities were quickly followed by the introduction of a debit card program and of a subsidiary known as Southwest Corporate Investment Services. The unveiling of TranZact, an updated and enhanced version of CUFS followed.

With the new century, came new challenges and increased complexity. Pick any point along Southwest Corporate's timeline, however, and the same thing could have been said. History, though, tells of the tests of time. Southwest Corporate has passed those tests by staying true to the promise it made when it embarked over 30 years ago - address the needs of credit unions. For more information, contact an Account Executive at 800.442.5763.

Read about Southwest Corporate today