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AVANA CUSO Named Finalist in Credit Union Times Luminaries Awards

Honored for strong leadership and a technology-enabled loan participations platform

  • CU Times Luminaries recognizes credit union industry leaders driving meaningful results
  • AVANA CUSO honored in the Executive Leadership and Product Innovation categories
  • Award ceremony scheduled for November 6 at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort in Orlando

GLENDALE, Ariz. (October 28, 2025) – AVANA CUSO, a credit union service organization specializing in commercial real estate lending, has been named a finalist in the 2025 Credit Union Times Luminaries Awards in two categories: Executive Leadership and Product Innovation. AVANA CUSO received the honors for its commitment to providing credit unions with educational resources and innovative technology that simplifies loan participation processes.

The dual recognition highlights AVANA CUSO’s focus on empowering credit unions through its Participation Desk platform and educational webinar series. The Participation Desk transforms how credit unions evaluate and track loan participations, while the webinar series equips credit union professionals with strategies to navigate challenging economic conditions. To lead these efforts, AVANA CUSO recently welcomed Yiqing Wang as Chief Operating Officer, a seasoned operations and management leader, to its team.

“Our team puts their heart into creating solutions that make a real difference for credit unions, which this Luminaries recognition celebrates,” said Wang. “When we see our partners succeed and grow aided by the tools we’ve developed, it reminds us why we do this work. We genuinely care about helping credit unions serve their communities better.”

AVANA CUSO recently updated its pricing structure and services, offering an à la carte approach that allows credit unions to customize their lending operations. This new structure includes access to the Participation Desk platform. The portal allows credit unions to access nationwide commercial lending opportunities ranging from $1 to $15 million, helping them balance portfolios between seasoned loans and new participations without requiring extensive internal resources.

“Credit unions play a vital role in their communities by providing access to capital that creates jobs and supports entrepreneurship, which this award acknowledges,” said Sundip Patel, CEO of AVANA Companies. “Our educational initiatives and technology platforms reflect our commitment to helping credit unions make informed decisions that strengthen their portfolios and better serve their members.”

The educational initiatives strengthen AVANA CUSO’s commitment to helping credit unions navigate market challenges. These include a six-part webinar series launched to address rising delinquency rates in the industry and provide practical tools for managing distressed loans. In addition, AVANA CUSO is hosting webinars on SBA 504 loans, one of the most powerful financial tools available to help credit unions support their members through a government-backed program designed to fund owner-occupied real estate.

The CU Times Luminaries Awards celebrate top industry players delivering meaningful results in areas that matter most to credit unions. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on November 6, 2025, at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort in Orlando, Florida. To learn more about AVANA CUSO’s services and educational resources, visit www.avanacuso.com.

What is AVANA's mission regarding credit unions?
AVANA CUSO’s mission focuses on helping credit unions serve their communities better by providing tools and education for commercial real estate lending. According to COO Yiqing Wang, the team puts their heart into creating solutions that make a real difference for credit unions.

What recognition categories did AVANA receive?
AVANA CUSO was honored in the Executive Leadership and Product Innovation categories of the 2025 Credit Union Times Luminaries Awards. The dual recognition highlights the company’s focus on empowering credit unions through technology and education.

How does AVANA support credit union growth?
AVANA CUSO provides technology and educational resources that help credit unions make informed decisions to strengthen their portfolios and better serve their members. According to CEO Sundip Patel, this supports credit unions’ vital role in providing access to capital that creates jobs and supports entrepreneurship.

What makes AVANA's approach unique?
AVANA CUSO helps credit unions balance portfolios between seasoned loans and new participations without requiring extensive internal resources. The company’s à la carte approach allows credit unions to customize their lending operations based on their specific needs.

Where is AVANA CUSO located?
AVANA CUSO is based in Glendale, Arizona. The company serves credit unions nationwide through its technology platform and educational resources.

What educational resources does AVANA offer?
AVANA CUSO provides a webinar series that equips credit union professionals with strategies to navigate challenging economic conditions. The company recently launched a six-part webinar series to address rising delinquency rates and provide tools for managing distressed loans.

What is AVANA CUSO?
AVANA CUSO is a credit union service organization specializing in commercial real estate lending. The company provides credit unions with educational resources and innovative technology that simplifies loan participation processes.

What is AVANA's new pricing structure?
AVANA CUSO recently updated its pricing structure to offer an à la carte approach that allows credit unions to customize their lending operations. This new structure includes access to the Participation Desk platform.