Summit Named One of America’s Top Credit Unions

Newsweek Magazine rankings based on member feedback and institution’s financial health

February 14, 2024 (Madison, WI) – Newsweek Magazine’s 2024 list of America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions included Madison-based Summit Credit Union as one of the top 250 credit unions. The rankings were based on a mix of consumer/member input and financial performance and stability factors.

“We’re honored to be included among Newsweek’s top credit unions, not only because it is based in part on reviews by our own members, but also because our financial strength and stability was part of the award criteria,” said Kim Sponem, CEO & President of Summit Credit Union. “Newsweek’s team looked at factors such as our financial reserves and ability to absorb economic downturns, strong lending activity, and reputation in making this group of America’s best credit unions.”

Newsweek partnered with research company Plant A Insights Group to compile the list based on an analysis of the financial health and stability of 9,440 institutions, 35,000 customer interviews and more than 149 million online reviews and applied a rigorous methodology to their selection process.

“As financial cooperatives owned by their members, [credit unions] foster a sense of shared ownership and responsibility. This unique structure translates into a commitment to the financial well-being of its members, often resulting in lower fees, competitive interest rates, and a more flexible approach to lending,” said Nancy Cooper, Newsweek’s global editor-in-chief.

About Summit Credit Union
Established in 1935, Summit Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative. Summit holds 6.9 billion in assets and has more than 255,500 members and 954 employees across 57 locations throughout Wisconsin. Since 2002, Kim Sponem has been CEO & President of Summit Credit Union, formerly known as CUNA Credit Union/Great Wisconsin Credit Union.

Recognized for its excellence in employee engagement, in 2021, 2022 and 2023 Summit was named both a Top Workplace in the USA by Top Workplaces USA and a Top Workplace in the Madison area by the Wisconsin State Journal. In 2023 it has added a Top Workplace award in Milwaukee by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

For more information, visit www.summitcreditunion.com or call 608-243-5000 or 800-236-5560.

Naviant Wins 4 Elite Hyland Partner Awards: SAP Integrations Competency Status, Partner of the Year in Government, Premier Partner, and Partner of the Year for Competency Excellence

Naviant, an OnBase reseller, was recently honored by Hyland for its outstanding services, customer support, and partner performance by receiving the Integrations Competency Status for SAP, Partner of the Year in the Government Vertical, Hyland Premier Partner, and Partner of the Year for Competency Excellence.

“At Naviant, we are proud to provide the highest level of service and commitment to our satisfied customers, and we believe our +96% retention rate clearly reflects this dedication,” says Michael Carr, President and CEO at Naviant. “The best-in-class Hyland automation platforms have a direct and measurable impact on our clients and help them work more efficiently with less. These top Elite honors help set Naviant apart from the other OnBase partners.”

“Our partner program features industry leaders that provide cutting-edge technology to streamline processes, empower employees, and enhance customer connections. We congratulate Naviant’s dedication to customer success and outstanding achievement as a recipient of the Integrations Competency Status for SAP, Partner of the Year in the Government Vertical, Hyland Premier Partner, and Partner of the Year for Competency Excellence,” said Brian Schlosser, Vice President of Global Partner Programs at Hyland.

Integrations Competency Status for SAP

Naviant achieved its Integrations Competency Status for SAP from Hyland. This recognition demonstrates Naviant’s proven ability in integrating SAP when leveraging Hyland’s content services solutions. Naviant has prioritized SAP integration proficiency due to its ability to deliver a competitive advantage to its customers in their accounts payable departments and beyond. When SAP and OnBase work seamlessly together, it significantly impacts the entire organization and Naviant has seen this difference with its customers.

Partner of the Year in the Government Vertical

Naviant, a long-time Hyland partner, was the recipient of the Partner of the Year award in the Government vertical for its dedication to understanding government organizations’ unique challenges and industry trends. Doing so has optimized how Naviant deploys, services, and supports its government customers, which has resulted in a high-quality customer experience and tailored high-impact solutions.

Hyland Premier Partner

Additionally, Naviant has received Hyland Premier Partner status. This honor is only awarded to Hyland’s top seven highest-performing partners based on the criteria of digital transformation experience and sales revenues.

As a top OnBase partner, Naviant provides implementation expertise and hands-on support for OnBase customers, including its managed services offerings. Together with Hyland, Naviant also offers customers the highest level of technical support as they receive ongoing OnBase training and the backing of Hyland.

Partner of the Year for Competency Excellence

Naviant has earned the Micro-Vertical Competency Status for Tribal Governments, Low Code Application Development for OnBase Competency Status, and as of this month, Integrations Competency Status for SAP. These prestigious recognitions, all of which have been awarded in the span of under a year, reflect Naviant’s dedication to providing top-quality, specialized services and solutions for its customers.

About Naviant

Naviant is a nationally recognized intelligent automation solutions integrator and business process consulting organization with over 30 years of experience. We help our clients do more with less by using technology to streamline processes and gain visibility into the data they need to make better decisions.

Our “process-first” approach emphasizes the importance of process improvement before implementing technology solutions such as OnBase, Brainware, the ABBYY intelligent capture platform, Hyland RPA, and Jadu content portal.

We are proud to be a top-tier partner for Hyland’s OnBase, a single enterprise information platform for managing content, processes, and cases. OnBase combines ECM, case management, business process management (BPM), records management, compliance, and capture functionality on a single platform. To learn more about Naviant, please visit naviant.com. Process focus. Excellence.

About Hyland

Hyland is a leading content services provider that enables thousands of organizations to deliver better experiences to the people they serve. Find us at Hyland.com.

Bank of Sun Prairie Takes Gold in Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals’ Prestigious MarCom Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2024

Contact: Jimmy Kauffman, President and CEO
608.837.4511 ● jimmy.kauffman@bankofsunprairie.com

Bank of Sun Prairie Takes Gold in Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals’ Prestigious MarCom Awards
Commercial Showcasing Bank’s ‘Sweet Spot’ Campaign Wins

Sun Prairie, Wis.— Bank of Sun Prairie has won a Gold Award in the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) MarCom Awards for their commercial highlighting a barista and customer with extremely specific coffee preferences.

“This recognition is such a treat for all of us,” Bank of Sun Prairie’s Chief Retail Officer John Loeffler shared. “The Sweet Spot campaign highlights the meaning behind our corporate tagline The Right Balance and our strength as a service-driven community bank with the ability to customize solutions to the granular needs of our customers.”

The spot was produced in partnership with Sioux Falls, South Dakota Marketing Agency Epicosity. “We couldn’t be happier the spot has been received so well,” said Epicosity Account Executive Seth Bjordal. “The reward for us is collaborating with wonderful clients like Bank of Sun Prairie, and we couldn’t be happier for them and their continued success.”

About the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) is an international organization, founded in 1995, consisting of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, digital and web professionals. AMCP administers recognition programs, provides judges, and rewards outstanding achievement and service to the community. The MarCom Awards honors excellence in marketing and communication while recognizing the creativity, hard work, and generosity of industry professionals. Since its inception in 2004, MarCom has evolved into one of the largest, most-respected creative competitions in the world. Each year 6,500 print and digital entries are submitted from dozens of countries. Visit https://marcomawards.com

About Epicosity is a full-service agency with deep experience in brand development, media and the ever-evolving digital and social strategies. Its mission is to awaken champions of the new economy. https://www.epicosity.com/

About Bank of Sun Prairie bankofsunprairie.com
Bank of Sun Prairie is a locally owned, full-service community bank with $749.6 million in assets and five locations in Sun Prairie and Cottage Grove, Wis. Its mission is to be trusted advisor for families, businesses and communities offering a complete range of services, while delivering fair returns for stockholders. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

Photograph attached. Video: https://youtu.be/FcmX0t6ahAQ

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Madison Black Chamber of Commerce Announces 6th Annual Black Business Awards Dinner

Madison, WI – The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the 6th Annual Black Business Awards Dinner, a prestigious event recognizing and celebrating the exceptional achievements of Black-owned businesses in our vibrant community. The event is Thursday, February 22, 2024 at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center and starts with a Red Carpet Arrival at 5:00 PM.

Spotlighting the resilience, innovation, and triumphs of Black entrepreneurs and businesses across South Central Wisconsin, the awards dinner has established itself as a triumphant celebration of Black Business Excellence during Black History Month. This year’s event promises an evening of Ebony Elegance and inspiration as we celebrate the often overlooked “Supporting Players” in our community that help us be our best selves! 

Winners of the Beauty Innovator Award, Style & Grace Award, Retail Excellence Award and nine other unique award categories will be announced during the ceremony.  

Nominations are now open to the public, and the Chamber encourages community participation in recognizing well-deserving Black-owned businesses and Black entrepreneurs. Members of the public can nominate across 12 award categories, with a limit of one ballot per person. Nominations can be submitted through https://bit.ly/mbccvotes.

Featured players of the evening include a curated collection of premium vendors selling a wide variety of luxurious goods and sophisticated services at the Black Wall Street Marketplace. Bolstering the vendors is the official Black Wall Street exhibit from the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum, a beautiful tribute showcasing the prosperity and perseverance of Black-owned businesses.

Key Event Highlights

1. Date and Time: Thursday, February 22, 2024. Red carpet rolls out at 5:00 PM.

2. Venue: The Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center, a distinguished location providing a backdrop for an elegant and uplifting evening. Tickets can be purchased here: https://bit.ly/mbcctickets

3. Award Categories: Recognizing Black Business Excellence and showcasing the diversity and strength of our local business community. Nominate a business here through February 5.  https://bit.ly/mbccvotes

4. Black Wall Street Marketplace: Visit the Black Wall Street art exhibit from the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum while shopping from a curated collection of local businesses, artists, and vendors that embody Black Business Excellence.  Vendors can register here through February 11. https://bit.ly/mbccvendorcall

The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce extends a warm invitation to community members, business leaders, and supporters to join in this celebration of entrepreneurship, empowerment, and economic growth.

For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or ticket purchases, please contact: 
George Smith  
Public Relations and Outreach Specialist 
Madison Black Chamber of Commerce   
(312) 305-0130 
george@madisonblackchamber.com

About Madison Black Chamber of Commerce: 
The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting economic empowerment and fostering a thriving business community for Black entrepreneurs throughout South Central Wisconsin. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration, the Chamber aims to create an environment that supports the growth and success of Black-owned businesses. General information available at https://www.madisonblackchamber.com/ 

National Guardian Life Insurance Company: Nominations now open for National Funeral Directors Association’s second annual Inspiration Award

Following a motivational inaugural year, National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is pleased to once again sponsor National Funeral Directors Association’s (NFDA) second annual Inspiration Award. Nominations are now open with NFDA accepting submissions through February 16 in recognition of an exceptional woman who has made noteworthy professional contributions to the funeral service industry or related fields.

“I’m excited and honored to be part of the annual Inspiration Award through NGL’s sponsorship. There are many outstanding women in the profession who deserve to be recognized for their successes and have their story shared. I look forward to learning who the next exceptional female that has elevated the funeral service will be,” said Jennifer Kaset, Vice President, Sales and Business Development at NGL.

The 2024 Inspiration Award recipient will be announced during the 2024 Professional Women’s Conference in Savannah, Ga, April 28-30, 2024.

Last year, Kaset had the privilege of presenting the 2023 NFDA Inspiration Award to Ellen Wynn McBrayer. Ellen is a licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer, Certified Celebrant, Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, Certified Preplanning Consultant and is the President and Chief Financial Officer of Jones-Wynn Funeral Homes and Crematory, a third-generation family business.

Click here to learn more, including criteria and guidelines about the NFDA 2024 Inspiration Award.

About NGL

Established in 1909 National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is an insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wis. Licensed to do business in 49 states and the District of Columbia, NGL markets preneed and individual life and annuities, as well as group markets products. Information about NGL can be found at www.nglic.com; Facebook: Facebook.com/NGLIC and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-guardian-life-insurance-company.

National Guardian Life Insurance Company is not affiliated with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America a/k/a The Guardian or Guardian Life.

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