From Your CEO — Summer 2024

I am incredibly honored and humbled to assume the role of President & CEO at SESLOC. Please join me in thanking Geri LaChance, who was a champion of you, our loyal members, and whose leadership has kept SESLOC financially safe and sound throughout her nearly 13-year tenure as President & CEO. The volunteer Board of Directors and our senior leadership team are dedicated to continuing SESLOC’s vision of creating a positive impact through education, empowerment, and enrichment for our community. At SESLOC, we believe in the power of people helping people. This philosophy guides every decision and action we take as we strive to create economic value for each of our member-owners here in the central part of California. With this transition, I would like to reassure you that convenience, accessibility and ease of use will continue to be our focus and will continue to evolve. The success of our credit union is directly linked to the success and financial well-being of our member-owners, and that means continuing to offer quality financial products and robust services.

We are happy to introduce our new Instant Funds loan program, a small-dollar loan program designed to provide funds quickly and efficiently when unexpected expenses arise. SESLOC understands the challenges that unexpected financial hurdles can bring. The Instant Funds loan gives members access to funds from SESLOC without having to reach out to traditional payday lenders, thus avoiding a dangerous cycle of debt. Offering these loans is just one more step toward our goal of being there for our community during those tough moments, providing a financial safety net to help navigate and overcome challenges that come their way.

This past spring, we enjoyed connecting with you all at several local events, which foster connections, strengthen our sense of belonging, and enrich and celebrate the power of our unified community. It was truly encouraging to see young minds gain financial knowledge and empowerment at Pacific Beach, Santa Maria, and Central Coast New Tech High Schools in our ‘living on a budget’ simulations. We had a blast participating in the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce’s EXPO at the Expo where we connected with local businesses and highlighted our Local Rewards program participants. Let’s not forget the great time we had interacting with the crowd at the 81st Annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo & Parade—yee haw! (Yes, I may have said this more than once.) And most of all, we appreciate your generous support in helping us fundraise more than $12,000 for the San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County Food Banks for a fifth year in a row. It is a testament to the positive impact we can make when we stand together.

Thank you for being a member-owner at SESLOC, as we are now 59,000 members strong. After 82 years of service, our commitment to you and central California remains as steadfast as ever. We believe in the power of financial well-being, and we are here to ensure that you have the tools and resources needed to achieve your goals and dreams, as well as make your lives a little easier. So as you begin to head into your summer travels and activities, please bring along our mobile app to bank with us anytime, anywhere. I hope you have a safe and wonderful summer season, wherever your plans may take you!