“Doing the right thing” in our community
Is it possible for a bank to make the world a better place?
In a time of customer concern over the ethics of some financial institutions, Olympia Federal Savings stands out as a bank with integrity.
Since 1906, Oly Fed has been focused on serving the people of the South Sound by promoting home ownership, thrift and strong community involvement. Over the past century, it has grown to include seven branches and will celebrate a grand reopening of the West Olympia branch later this year.
“We know our customers. We know their families. They are our neighbors. They live in our community,” said Sandy DiBernardo, vice president and marketing director. “People really appreciate that we are local and that we are a mutual savings and loan. We are not owned by stockholders, which allows us to have more flexibility in offering products and services that help them.”
Annually, Olympia Federal Savings is dedicated to returning at least 5 percent of its profits to the community. For the last 4 years, however, during these more challenging economic times, Olympia Federal has contributed in excess of 10 percent of profits back to the community. Along with providing financial support, its employees also donate many hours volunteering for a variety of nonprofits. They support cultural events, affordable housing, health and human services, children’s programs, and numerous charitable organizations.
“We do what is right for our customers, our employees and our community,” said DiBernardo. “We have a lot of integrity, ethics and morals guiding us. And we’ve maintained that for 107 years. A lot of people describe us as being like the bank in the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’”
This winter, Olympia Federal Savings will be a proud sponsor of the Silver Bells Breakfast for Providence St. Peter Foundation’s Christmas Forest. Funds raised will go toward helping low-income individuals get the medical services they need.
TAMMY ROBACKER
For more information:
olyfed.com