Northern Credit Union wins big

NEWS RELEASE

NORTHERN CREDIT UNION

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Local credit union sets award-winning record

Sault Ste. Marie – For the third consecutive year, Northern Credit Union was a big winner at the 15th annual Marketing Association for Credit Unions' conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Each year credit unions from across Canada compete for the Marketing Association for Credit Unions' coveted Achievement in Marketing Excellence Awards.

In just three years, Northern Credit Union has won a total of seventeen marketing awards.

No other credit union – of any asset size, in any province – has earned as many as seventeen awards in only three years.

2005 is the third successive year Northern Credit Union's annual report won an Achievement in Marketing award.

This is second consecutive year Northern won Achievement in Marketing awards in the categories of Corporate Communication and Coordinated Campaign.

At the 2005 awards ceremony, Northern won its seventh award in three years for Image Enhancement.

Other winning categories in previous years have also included: radio, brochure and membership newsletter.

"Northern is building the full-service professional alternative to mass-market banks. Northern advertising shows our connection to the people who live where we do business," says Al Suraci, President & CEO. "Our best business opportunity is to be different and our advertising tells a compelling story about just how different Northern Credit Union really is. It's our shared northern sense-of-place that set us apart from the banks."

The Marketing Association for Credit Unions (MACU) www.macu.ca promotes professional development of credit union marketing with educational forums and peer recognition competitions.

MACU's most celebrated annual event – The Achievement in Marketing Excellence Awards – attracts entries from across Canada.

With over 40,000 member shareholders, Northern Credit Union is a full service, locally-operated financial institution, offering personal and commercial banking expertise, and is focused on developing the natural human resources of our region.

22 branches serve 20 communities along the edge of the Canadian Shield in North and Eastern Ontario.