NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ten years after opening its first two branches in Chicago, PSFCU celebrated the milestone with a gala fete at the famed Copernicus Center, Saturday, February 1. More than 2,000 friends, members, employees and invited guests and dignitaries paid tribute to the credit union’s decade in the Windy City with an evening full of awards, commendations, entertainment, announcements and delicious libations and cuisine.
The grand gala marked PSFCU’s 10th anniversary in Chicago, where much of the evening was dedicated to the heartfelt tributes delivered by distinguished Polish officials and credit union executives. Serving as the master of ceremonies for the evening’s festivities was Tomasz Kammel, a renowned Polish television personality.
News of the credit union celebrating its decade in Chicago was of particular interest in Warsaw, where Polish President Andrzej Duda sent a congratulatory letter that was read by Minister Pawel Mucha, deputy head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland. The letter praised the credit union’s efforts, stating, “On the one hand, this is a success in business terms because the union is reaching the level of $2 billion in assets and over 100,000 members. On the other hand, we are dealing with a beautiful, integrating aspect of the union's activities for the benefit of the member environment by supporting many Polish community, social, cultural and school projects.”
The list of political luminaries paying tribute to the credit union continued, as the Ambassador of Poland to the United States, Professor Piotr Wilczek, addressed the crowd by lauding the PSFCU’s success in the Second City.
The country’s largest ethnic credit union opened its doors in the Midwest on January 30, 2010 with its first two Chicagoland branches: one in Norridge and another in Mt. Prospect. Ten years later, PSFCU has added four more branches and attracted more than 25,000 members, representing one-quarter of all credit union members. Illinois represents PSFCU’s fastest-growing market.
Throughout the evening, PSFCU officials thanked those who have helped make the past 10 years so successful. As a show of gratitude, the credit union presented awards to 10 Polish-American organizations that have contribute to PSFCU’s presence in Chicagoland, and also handed out 10 attractive prizes to the groups.
“Our success and our achievements are truly unique, and this translates not only into the account balance, as these are only numbers, but translates into help for countless Polish-American organizations, Polish-American schools, churches, and children,” said PSFCU Chairman Krzysztof Matyszczyk. “We all know our scholarship program, from which over half a million dollars is distributed annually to Polish-American students. This is the best example of how we care for the Polish community.”
PSFCU President and CEO Bogdan Chmielewski reminded those in attendance that Chicago members have deposited nearly a quarter-billion dollars into credit union accounts. Furthermore, the six area branches have loaned more than $320 million to members within the community to help fund their dreams, build their businesses and live better lives.
Other guests referred to the financial and social aspects of the union's activity. This included Michael Fryzel, the first American of Polish descent to head the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) (2008-9).
The ceremony ended with popular musical performer Helena Mlynkova and the Blue Cafe Band thoroughly whipping the audience into a dancing frenzy.
About PSFCU
Founded in 1976 by a group of Polish immigrants to help other ethnic Poles obtain mortgages, the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union now has 20 branches in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois and an operations center in Fairfield, NJ. The 43-year-old credit union has recently crossed the milestone of $2 billion in assets. Through its brick-and-mortar branches and an extensive online presence, PSFCU now serves over 100,000 members of the Polish and Slavic communities throughout the U.S.
CONTACT:
Pawel Burdzy, PR Manager
973-808-3240 ext. 6134
pburdzy@psfcu.net
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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