Through personal connections and customized financial services, United Texas Credit Union helps its members with their finances through every stage of their lives.

UTXCU is a member-owned, not-for-profit credit union serving residents in Bexar, Kendall, Comal and Tarrant counties. It offers services such as checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, auto loans, mortgage loans and more.

Marketing Director Karla Sarran sat down with Community Impact to talk about what makes UTXCU different and how it benefits its members.

How does United Texas Credit Union differentiate itself from other financial institutions?

Sarran: We're a small institution, so we know our members personally, but we're large enough to be able to offer the products and services the large institutions offer as well. Additionally, we have online banking and mobile check deposits. If you want to do business with us in person, we love to have members come in and visit us in person. If you would prefer to do business with us remotely, we can take care of all your needs remotely as well.

Can you highlight some unique features or services that UTXCU provides to its members that set it apart?

Sarran: One of the more unique ones is our E-branch. Our E-branch service is a group of employees who do everything remotely. If you want to get a credit card or auto loan with us, you can go on our website and apply on your phone or computer. That entire transaction takes place remotely, including the application completion, underwriting, the approval and then the closing. Even though we are a community institution, we have members who are not based in Texas and we can still serve them.

How does UTXCU’s member-centric approach impact the way the credit union operates?

Sarran: Our feedback systems that we have in place really help us to personalize member experiences. If a member has an experience where there could be an improvement, that's a great way for us to gather that information and then be able to act. We want to make sure that the members who use us know we are listening to them actively, all the time.

How does UTXCU engage with the local community?

Sarran: We partner with schools in San Antonio, Boerne and Fort Worth to gather school supplies. We get the school supplies list for the schools and then we get as many fully stocked backpacks for each grade as we can. We've done some volunteer work with Roy Maas, which is an organization in San Antonio for children who are in a situation where they cannot live at home.

We also partner with an organization called Day 1 Bags. This organization provides a backpack or duffel bag to a child who is going to their foster home for the first time so they're not taking their items in a garbage bag. The gentleman who is CEO of that organization has been a longtime member of United Texas.

Why does UTXCU make giving back to the community a priority?

Sarran: Our mission is to improve the financial well-being of our members and the people who live in the communities we serve. A lot of times parents struggle with providing school supplies for their children and we can help alleviate some of the financial stress from their lives.

What do you want the community to know about UTXCU?

Sarran: We can take care of your financial needs, both in the realm of saving and in the realm of lending. If you have questions or if you need help, we're a resource for you. We don't just make loans and help people save money. We want to be your financial partner for your lifetime.

Find out more

To learn how UTXCU can help you achieve your financial goals, visit utxcu.com.

The above story was produced by Multi-platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.