Centex Citizens Credit Union

Janis Massey, CEO of Centex Citizens Credit Union, reached out to the Navarro SBDC needing help with the expansion of the Credit Union to Corsicana. Janis found out about the services of the SBDC when she hired Debbie Wilson to manage the branch in Corsicana. Debbie and the Director Leslie Leerskov work closely together at the Corsicana and Navarro County Chamber of Commerce. Both Debbie and Janis attended the luncheon “How to Grow Your Small Business” and booked their first appointment with the Navarro SBDC in July of 2015.

Centex Citizens Credit Union’s slogan is “People helping people” and they have been helping people at the Mexia location since 1954. Janis approached the board about expanding to the Corsicana area and the board approved the expansion. When Janis first met with the SBDC, she was seeking help with a strategic plan for the expansion that would include marketing, customer service training for employees and assistance with locating bi-lingual employees.

SBDC Director Leslie Leerskov, with the help of Debbie Wilson, quickly went to work on creating a Facebook account and planning the Every Door Direct Mail Out over three phases. Debbie and Janis both wanted to focus the marketing campaign toward low to moderate individuals. In addition to promoting the slogan, they want to brand the credit union as a “not for profit, not for charity, but for service” credit union. The SBDC pulled demographic reports and located the areas of concentration that the Credit Union wanted to focus on and overlaid them with mail routes via USPS website. The creation of the postcards with the correct EDD logo and size was challenging but something that Debbie and Leslie worked on together for a very successful marketing campaign. After the campaign, Janis and Debbie said that the “Greatest asset of Navarro County SBDC is the Director Leslie Leerskov: Ready at a drop of the hat! Whatever we are, whatever we need – Leslie Leerskov is there to assist. Great ideas, motivated, energetic, optimistic, can do attitude!”

The Navarro SBDC continues to assist the credit union with marking the credit union and also in attracting bi-lingual employees. Centex Citizens Credit Union was selected as Best Credit Union by the Corsicana Daily Sun in the Best of the Best Contest!