(PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union, June 2016)
Sometimes you think you’re going to work in a hospital when you graduate … and end up becoming a country singer/watchmaker/cell phone salesman instead.
That’s what happened to Zach Welch.
Venture off campus some evening to hole-in-the wall biker haunts and townie favorites like The Village Inn on Muncie’s east side or Monty’s Lounge in Chesterfield to find Lee Whiteman & The Ole No. 7 Band.
As you’re singing along to tales of heartbreak and loss, look for the young guy on the right with the slick haircut and trim beard on backup guitar and vocals. That’s Zach.
“I’ve been with the band for four years,” Zach said. “It wasn’t exactly my favorite genre at first, but I have a lot of fun.”
The band gets its name from a favorite rehearsal beverage among the group’s founders, Jack Daniel’s Old Number 7. Craft beer is more Zach’s thing, though. He likes to hang out at Scotty’s and Brothers in the Village, and Thr3e Wise Men downtown.
By day Zach manages a Sprint store in Noblesville. Ask someone how they got from studying healthcare at Ball State to building a successful career as a retail store manager, and they might tell you it’s a long story.
Not Zach. He makes it sound pretty simple.
“I wasn’t sure healthcare was going to be for me, but I was so close I decided to finish the program. A friend from high school told me there was a position available. I was always interested in technology.”
So he took the job as a sales rep. Three years later he was promoted to manager.
His hobby is in a technology that’s been around a lot longer than cell phones. He’s been working on his antique watch collection for about four years.
“It started out with me collecting a few pieces that I liked. Now I buy and sell a bit, and I’m starting to build my own stuff from stock parts.”
Zach’s been a PrimeTrust member since 2007 when he graduated from high school. Credit unions have always been a family thing to him. His grandfather was a credit union member. So were his parents.
“You can put your trust in it like a family,” he said. “We’ve all had good experiences. Little things come up sometimes, but I’ve always been able to get it taken care of. It can be intimidating with a big corporation to get issues resolved. Here I have no apprehension.”
The credit union experience is different for him than it was for his grandfather. Between work, band practice, watch collecting and spending time with his fiancée (when she’s not in nursing classes at Ball State), Zach doesn’t always have time to walk into branches and do his banking face to face.
“The mobile app is my best friend. Just knowing how much I have in my accounts and being able to transfer between checking and savings is great. Paying on my personal loan is super easy, too.”
Zach appreciates that the spirit of credit union membership hasn’t changed. Even if he’s not in the branches that often, he still feels valued like a family member.
He gets a nice little reminder of how valued he is once a year … his member dividend check.
“It’s cool to me that they give a little bit back in that bonus for your membership. It makes you feel like you’re an important part of the organization,” Zach said.
The next time you need a cell phone, you’re in the market for a handcrafted watch or you’re in the mood for some country/Southern rock, go find Zach Welch and give him a high five.
Tell him his PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union family sent you.
Want to find out more about what it means to be a credit union member? Check out our resources for the next generation of higher-ed students and professionals, Go CU! at www.LetsGoCU.com, or reach out on Facebook (@primetrustgocu) and Twitter (@letsgocu).
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