Hawai‘i State FCU in The Business Spotlight

With a brand new branch in the Pu‘unene Shopping Center across from Target in Kahului, Hawai‘i State Federal Credit Union welcomes customers in a vibrant, modern, spacious location. But the red paint and tropical flowers aren’t the only elements that brighten the branch. Manager Joe Chee, Jr. says it’s the smiles of his nine longtime staffers, who genuinely care about their members.

“People always say there’s a happy vibe when they come into this branch,” he explains. “They appreciate being treated like family; everyone knows their name and they’re not just another number.”

Hawaiʻi State FCU’s 2,700-square-foot Maui branch is more than double the size of its former Triangle Square location, which opened in 2008 as the credit union’s first neighbor-island branch. There are now expanded hours of operation: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The space also features five private offices and a conference room for one-on-one confidential meetings, along with ATMs inside and outside that accept both checks and cash.

The non-profit was established in 1936 and is owned entirely by its members.  Hawaiʻi State FCU membership is open to:

-All active and retired employees of the State of Hawaiʻi, City and County of Honolulu and Maui County.

-Select Employment Groups, which include more than 300 local organizations and businesses that can qualify individuals to join. For a full list of those eligible groups, click here.

Proud to be a leader in financial education, Hawaiʻi State FCU offers a full range of services for checking and savings accounts, loans, investments and retirement planning. It’s also the largest credit union lender in Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i State Federal Credit Union makes its mark in Kahului as the fastest-growing of nine Hawai‘i State FCU branches in the state. Courtesy photo.

During its grand opening and blessing ceremony in April, Hawaiʻi State FCU presented a $2,500 check to Maui Food Bank, and continues to collect food donations in the branch. It’s one example of their “Always Right By You” philosophy; learn more about the origins of that mission in our video above.

“We want you to experience our Aloha,” says Chee. “It’s not just being right by the member, it’s also being right by fellow co-workers; whoever you’re with, are you doing what’s right for that person in front of you?  We want people to know when they come here, that’s what they can expect.”

Members can also expect user-friendly technology, like an efficient website and easy-to-use mobile app. For those who need some help, Hawai‘i State FCU employees can even walk you through the digital functions on different devices.

“People can not only check their balances, but they can do simple transactions, make mobile deposits, transfer money, even check their debit card and turn it on and off in case they misplace it,” Chee explains.

In 2014, Hawai‘i State FCU had 80,000 members. Now it’s up to 108,000 members, with Maui leading the charge as the fastest-growing of the nine Hawai‘i branches in terms of membership and loan growth. In fact, the Kahului branch is celebrating its new location with specials on financial services through the end of May.