4 Hartford Business Journal • August 31, 2015 www.HartfordBusiness.com
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Supreme Industries, Inc.
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Honoring Chief Financial Officers for their
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Keynote:
Minor League Baseball,
Finance, Philanthropy
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Josh Solomon
Owner, the Hartford Yard Goats
accounts, into which members stash funds to
cover eligible medical expenses tied to high-
deductible health plans. Waterbury's Webster
Bank dominates the nation's HSA market.
"We have a very unique niche here,'' he
said. "We just have to get the word out to the
community.''
All city employees, along with city resi-
dents, students and worshippers, are eligible
to join and most have, Signorello said. Like
many credit unions, it, too, petitioned its fed-
eral overseer and got permission to expand its
membership field to anyone who "lives, works,
worships'' or is educated in Hartford.
But like many credit unions, which are
nonprofit financial cooperatives whose
depositors also are institutions' owners,
HMEFCU lacks a huge advertising/market-
ing budget on the scale of a B of A, or even
mammoth Connecticut credit co-ops like
American Eagle Credit Union.
It's $120,000 marketing budget for this
year is about 20 percent greater than 2014, but
that can only stretch so far, Signorello said.
So, shrewd promotions like distributing
free coffee mugs, ballpoint pens, water bot-
tles, sticky-note pads — emblazoned with its
logo — are standard fare. It regularly donates
notebooks and book bags to schoolchildren
in areas where it has branches. It even funds
several college scholarships for members and
their families.
Earlier this year, HMEFCU's board voted
a half-percentage-point interest rebate into
the member-share accounts of those with
outstanding auto, mortgage, home-equity or
other loans. It was, Signorello says, a small
gesture to show its appreciation to members.
If that won't raise visibility, then Signo-
rello and his aides get into the act. It's not
unusual, they say, for operations chief Dar-
lene White and branch coordinator Lisa
Maheu to visit its offices, manning teller win-
dows or greeting customers when they enter.
In 2012, HMEFCU expanded when it merged
with a former co-op owned by Connecticut Nat-
ural Gas workers that is now its East Hartford
branch.
The Credit Union League of Connecticut's
marketing push to expand the percentage of
Millennials who are credit-union depositors
resonates with Signorello and his team. It
caters to them with mobile- and online-finan-
cial services, including the ability to fill out
and process loan applications online.
At least half HMEFCU's staff are Millen-
nials, he said.
"You get them on board. They get trained
and get some experience,'' Signorello said. "We
try to retain them and keep them happy.'' n
