Onward

This merger will create significant value for our Members. Our missions and visions are aligned, and we believe we can combine our Credit Unions in a mutually beneficial manner.

NorthPark Community Credit Union has a mission of “Leading communities to financial wellness” and a vision of “Advancing financial inclusion onward.” NorthPark is focused on making Members’ lives better and serving their community, especially the underserved.

NorthPark is an entirely virtual credit union with approximately $43 million in assets and 4,800 Members. NorthPark was chartered in 1933 in Lebanon, Indiana.

Centra has a mission of being “Centered Around You” and a vision of “Creating value for the Members, Team Members, and Communities we serve.” Centra was founded on the credit union principle of “People Helping People” and strives to live out this principle through fair and transparent pricing and focusing on Member’s financial wellbeing first and foremost.

Centra has more than two dozen branch locations, primarily in central and southern Indiana, more than $2 billion in assets, and 150,000 plus Members. Centra is headquartered in Columbus, Indiana and was chartered in 1940.

Members of NorthPark will benefit from expanded products and services including mortgages, home equities, investment services, and commercial lending. They'll also have access to an expanded network of more than two dozen branches, a cash rewards program, and personalized service, to name a few.

Members of Centra Credit Union will expand from two new branch locations in the Indianapolis area, a focused financial inclusion outreach and business development program, and expanded Spanish language materials.

Yes! Centra Credit Union has the same share insurance as NorthPark. Each accountholder is federally insured up to $250,000, which is backed by the full faith and credit of the federal government through the National Credit Union Administration.

No branches will be closed as a result of the partnership. In fact, once the credit unions are combined, Centra Credit Union will work to reopen the two branches owned by NorthPark in Zionsville and Lebanon, IN in mid-year 2024.

Once the partnership is approved and the integration of the two credit unions is complete, you will also have access to all Centra’s existing 26 branches, ATMs, and ITMs. Centra is also part of the CO-OP ATM Network and Shared Branch Network, giving Members access to more than 30,000 free ATMS and more than 5,000 free branch locations across the country.

Branch hours are generally 8:30 am – 5 pm Monday – Thursday, 8:30 am – 6 pm on Friday, and 8:30 am – Noon on Saturday. Additionally, you will have access to phone, live interactive teller machine (ITM), and online chat support from 8 am – 6 pm Monday – Friday and 8:00 am – 2 pm on Saturday.

You will have all the same service options with the added benefits of an expanded branch network, Contact Center, and ATM/ITM network.

Yes, in a very positive way! Centra and NorthPark’s field of Membership will be combined, meaning more people will be eligible for Membership. Due to a regulatory limitation, the township of Decatur in Marion County will not be eligible for Membership, but any existing Members in the township may continue to bank with the Credit Union. Additionally, individuals living in Decatur township may qualify through other Membership eligibility options, such as through an employer.

Members of both credit unions will have the chance to vote on the merger. This is scheduled for December 4, 2023. If Members vote to approve the partnership, then it will become legal on or around 1/1/24. After that, we will begin working together to integrate and onboard NorthPark Members and Team Members into the Centra family and expand the Onward outreach work.

Members can expect more detailed information on impacts to their accounts and services beginning in Q1 2024 when the integration and onboarding process begins.

Rick Silvers will continue to serve as President and CEO of Centra after the partnership with NorthPark Community Credit Union is complete. Carma Parrish, the current President/CEO of NorthPark, will join Centra in a leadership position to guide the expansion of the Onward community outreach efforts. NorthPark and Centra have worked together to find the right roles for NorthPark Team Members after the partnership is complete. You will continue to work with the same friendly Team Members you did before the partnership.

Centra has no plans to become a virtual credit union. In fact, once the partnership moves forward, Centra plans to begin the process of remodeling and reopening our two closed branch location.

Absolutely! You can still open accounts, add new services, and apply for new loans with NorthPark.

Yes! In addition to offering the same accounts and loans you have access to today, Centra offers home equity loans, business accounts and loans, a high-yield rewards savings account, additional mortgage options, and local financial services advisors to assist with insurance, investment, and wealth management needs. You can learn more on their website, Centra.org.

We will be sending you updates on this partnership through email, our website, and on your account statements. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions at any time!

Your accounts will remain separate, but after the partnership is complete, you will be able to view and manage all your accounts under one digital banking login!

Any service disruptions would be very short. For instance, when we go through the process or integrating our technology systems, you may be unable to access online and mobile banking over a weekend and/or 1-2 business days. We will give you as much notice as possible and work to keep and disruptions as short as possible.

Centra maintains high standards for cybersecurity. Any information exchanges during the partnership integration will be handled through secure file transfer protocols. You will also be receiving more information about Centra’s privacy policy.

Yes! We will keep all of our Members in mind as we move forward with this partnership, including those who live or work overseas. We will continue to ensure you have a variety of options to manage your account and connect with a Team Member.

NorthPark and Centra offer many of the same services, such as an expanded network of free ATMs, shared branches, online and mobile banking, and much more. You will continue to have access to the same types of services after the partnership as you do today, with a few new services added, such as physical branch locations, Zelle, Zogo, budgeting & savings goals in digital banking, and much more.

NorthPark and Centra are very carefully reviewing how to move our partnership forward with the least impact to Members. You will likely see some changes, such as expanded options for making payments and a new payment address for check payments. Look for much more information coming in early 2024.

Yes! Centra also offers Skip A Pay on select loan types.

We will be in contact with you in early 2024 if we need any changes or documentation related to your insurance or title.

NorthPark and Centra are still working together on how to align our reward and benefit programs to offer the most benefits to our Members. Stay tuned for more information to be posted on our website and send to you via email.

In early 2024 you will receive much more information on when you might receive a new debit or credit card. While your credit limit will not be immediately impacted, Centra does routinely review credit card accounts to ensure that Members have the best limit to suit their needs and situation. Debit card daily limits are currently $5,000 per day for transactions and $500 per day for cash withdraws, provided your account has the appropriate balance to cover the transactions.

Yes, for a period of time your checks will continue to be honored. We will contact you in early 2024 with more details on how you can order new checks and update your payments or direct deposits to ensure you don’t experience any disruption in service.

You will have access to all the same functionality in online and mobile banking that you have today, but it will look a little different. Many details on how your online and mobile banking access are still being reviewed. We will continue to share many more details with you on our website and by email as they are available.

Your direct deposit or automatic payments set up on your account may be impacted. If this is the case, we will send you detailed information on any steps you need to take to avoid disruption. Centra also offers a service called ClickSwitch that allows you to update your direct deposits and automatic payments online in a few simple steps.

You will also continue to be able to get paid early! Centra offers early ACH/payroll deposits to all Members with a direct deposit at no cost. There are some limitations based on the how the employer has payroll set up. You can learn more about this service at Centra.org

Centra offers many options for managing your personal cashflow, such as Courtesy Pay, automatic transfers to your checking account from savings, automatic transfers to your checking account from select lines of credit, account alerts to monitor your balance, and more. Most of these services are free to you. Courtesy Pay is free for transactions under $10 and $29 per presentment for transactions over $10. You will receive much more information on overdraft services as the partnership integration process continues.

You will keep the loan terms you agreed to when you first closed on the loan, such as your rate, whether the rate is fixed or variable (can change throughout the life of the loan), your payment due date, and the length of the loan or number of payments.

For time deposits such as certificates, which guarantee a rate for a certain length of time, you will continue to keep the rate and interest arrangements you agreed to when you opened the account. Other deposit accounts, such as checking, savings, and money market accounts may see some minor changes during the integration process. Centra offers highly competitive deposit rates and checking account features, which can be found at Centra.org. Centra does not have a minimum balance requirement on any checking, savings, or money market accounts.

While many details about how this partnership may impact you are still being reviewed, rest assured that we’re keeping your best interests top of mind. You can also review Centra’s service charges here: https://www.centra.org/service-charge-schedule/

First off, we appreciate your Membership and are thankful for the relationship you’ve built with NorthPark. We also put a lot of careful evaluation into choosing a partner and believe that Centra, while larger than NorthPark, is a likeminded organization that’s focused on serving its Members. Their Team Members and leadership truly care about the Membership. In fact – enhancing Member Experience has been one of their top organizational goals in their last two strategic plans. We believe this partnership will enhance your relationship, not take away from it.