AVANA CUSO

AVANA CUSO

About AVANA CUSO.

AVANA CUSO is a 25+ year veteran Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) and an integral part of the AVANA Companies ecosystem. Formerly known as Extensia Financial, AVANA CUSO partners with credit unions to expand lending programs beyond communities and mitigate risk. The organization specializes in commercial real estate and offers comprehensive lending solutions nationwide.

10 to 1 Public Relations specializes in strategic communications for complex financial organizations and rebranding initiatives. For AVANA CUSO, we leveraged our media relations expertise to deliver exceptional results through strategic planning, partnership storytelling, and targeted media outreach.

10 to 1 Public Relations has the depth and breadth of experience you need to define, plan, and execute strategic communications that reach and exceed your goals.

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Establishing AVANA CUSO as a Tech-Enabled Leader in Credit Union Services

Our Goals.

Create awareness around the rebrand from Extensia Financial to AVANA CUSO
Establish AVANA CUSO as a leading CUSO that credit unions want to partner with
Highlight AVANA CUSO’s role in supporting smaller credit unions
Showcase the technology differentiators that set AVANA CUSO apart
Build credibility for the new CUSO leadership team
Attract new credit unions to partner with AVANA CUSO
Position AVANA CUSO as a local leader in the Greater Phoenix market

Strategic Approach.

We implemented a multi-faceted strategy that leveraged partnership success stories:

Partnership Storytelling: Featured Sunlight FCU as a case study to demonstrate real-world impact
Leadership Positioning: Amplified the hire of new COO Chad Witcher to build credibility
Technology Focus: Highlighted the innovative Participations Desk platform as a key differentiator
Multi-Audience Targeting: Created tailored messaging for national finance, credit union industry, and local Phoenix media
Expertise Emphasis: Showcased the 150+ years of collective industry experience among the senior team

What We Did.

Drafted and distributed press releases announcing the rebrand from Extensia Financial to AVANA CUSO
Researched and targeted relevant reporters at national finance outlets with previous CUSO coverage
Coordinated with Sunlight FCU to highlight their success story as a smaller, community-based credit union
Created a press release announcing the hire of COO Chad Witcher, emphasizing his 20+ years of industry experience
Secured a podcast interview featuring representatives from both AVANA CUSO and Sunlight FCU
Targeted the Greater Phoenix market to establish AVANA CUSO as a local financial leader
Developed messaging that emphasized how AVANA CUSO supports local economies and small businesses

Results and Impact.

Placed stories in local Phoenix outlets including InBusiness Phoenix and the Phoenix Business Journal
Secured coverage in credit union industry publications including CUInsight and Credit Union Times
Generated stories about COO Chad Witcher in CUbroadcast and CUInsight
Recorded a podcast episode on CUbroadcast featuring AVANA CUSO and Sunlight FCU representatives
Obtained coverage in American Banker, a prestigious national finance publication
Achieved syndication in National Mortgage News, ReportWire, and WestLaw Today
Secured follow-up coverage in American Banker highlighting AVANA CUSO’s technology strengths
Successfully positioned AVANA CUSO as a partner for smaller credit unions serving low-income populations

Key Takeaways.

Partnership storytelling significantly increases media interest and credibility
Featuring both the CUSO and a client credit union creates more compelling narratives
Technology differentiators provide a strong news hook in the financial services sector
Multi-audience targeting maximizes coverage across different media categories
Leadership announcements build credibility for rebranded organizations
Local market positioning complements national industry coverage
Success stories demonstrating real-world impact resonate with target audiences