PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union will merge with Tallahassee's SCORE Federal Credit Union, according to Gulf Winds officials. The merger has been approved by the National Credit Union Administration and on January 1, 2013, SCORE FCU will become Gulf Winds.
The merger will add over 5,500 members and three branch locations in the Tallahassee-area to Pensacola-based Gulf Winds. Once the merger is complete, Gulf Winds will have 12 branches, assets of $475 million, more than 56,000 plus members, and a field of membership to include Escambia, Santa Rosa, Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla and Jefferson Counties, Fla., and Escambia County, Ala.
Steps to fully merge the two credit unions have begun.
"The Gulf Winds Team is excited and motivated to serve the SCORE FCU members and the Tallahassee area," said Chris Rutledge, President and CEO of Gulf Winds. "We are already working hard with the SCORE FCU team in preparation to offer our market leading savings and loan rates. As we plan for the future, our goal is to find ways we can expand our footprint within the communities we serve and beyond.”
“The SCORE FCU Board of Directors invested a significant amount of time searching for a merger partner,” said Randy Glover, President and CEO of SCORE FCU. “Gulf Winds is the best merger partner for our credit union and this partnership insures that our members will receive increased benefits and quality service.”