Where we bank matters just as much as where we shop. Financial institutions influence which businesses can grow, who can buy a home and how much of Arizona's wealth stays invested in our communities. In this six-part podcast series, Local First Arizona sits down with leaders from Arizona credit unions to explore the power of local financial relationships — from expanding access to capital and strengthening local businesses to creating opportunities for families and communities across the state. Explore the conversations below to discover how banking decisions can help shape Arizona's economic future.
Beyond the Loan: Why Financial Relationships Matter for Arizona Businesses
Business owners often invest their personal savings, rely on credit cards or take out personal loans to keep their operations running. And when a business is also a family's livelihood — sometimes across generations — financial decisions carry consequences that extend far beyond the balance sheet.
That reality is one reason Desert Financial Credit Union has expanded its focus on serving Arizona's local businesses.
In a conversation with Local First Arizona, Andrea Mosher, senior vice president and chief lending officer at Desert Financial Credit Union, discussed why access to capital remains a challenge for entrepreneurs and what financial institutions can do to help businesses build lasting financial stability.
Read the Blog
Watch | Listen to the Podcast
Why Showing Up Still Matters in Local Banking
In a recent episode of Local First’s Arizona Credit Union Podcast, Arizona Central President and CEO Brian Lee discussed the value of local relationships, the changing role of physical branches and why cooperation matters in building stronger communities.
Read the Blog
Watch | Listen to the Podcast
From First Homes to Financial Futures: How TruWest Credit Union Invests in Arizona Families
In a recent episode of Arizona's Credit Union Podcast, Jennifer Kimmel, senior vice president and chief experience officer at TruWest, shared how the credit union is addressing local financial challenges, expanding access to homeownership and working alongside other Arizona credit unions to strengthen financial opportunities across the state.
Read the Blog
Watch | Listen to the Podcast
Where You Bank Shapes What Gets Built in Arizona
In a recent Arizona Credit Union Podcast conversation, OneAZ Credit Union CEO Mike Bowden and Chief Member Experience Officer Chip Griffith discussed what that looks like for a financial institution serving communities across Arizona.
Read the Blog
Watch | Listen to the Podcast
Keeping Arizona Money Working in Arizona
In the latest episode of Local First Arizona’s Arizona Credit Union Podcast, Arizona Financial Credit Union President and CEO Amy Hysell and Executive Vice President and COO Chad Forkenbrock talk about what that collaboration looks like, why keeping financial resources local matters and how relationships can change what access to capital looks like for Arizona businesses and communities.
Read the Blog
Watch | Listen to the Podcast
Local Money, Local Impact: How Tucson Federal Credit Union Is Investing in Community
In the latest episode of the Arizona’s Credit Unions Podcast, Local First Arizona's Thomas Barr sits down with Tucson Federal Credit Union President and CEO Matthew Gaspari and Vice President of Business Services Shaima Namazifard to talk about what local banking looks like in practice — from expanding access to business capital to keeping financial decisions rooted in the communities they affect.
Their conversation is also a reminder that choosing local isn't only about where we shop or eat.
Read the Blog
Watch | Listen to the Podcast
