President’s Message

Although 2021 brought us another year of challenges, and at times it felt like the world was stuck in place, I am happy to reflect on how our credit union persevered and continued to move forward. Our resilience and accomplishments gave us even more reason to celebrate our 85-year history of member service and we hope you will join us as we celebrate you, our unwavering and loyal members, this coming March.

We would like to thank you for adapting with us through the many changes to our operations. Everything we did was done with yours and our staff’s safety as the top priority. We are proud of our resilient staff that continued to serve our members during the seemingly endless challenges COVID-19 brought on us. Thank you to the members who shared their Member Stories with us. The interactions you shared are regarded as special memories and we are proud to display these on our website and social media. The camaraderie of our Hickam FCU community is unmatched and is reflected in our new brand statement, “We can make it better, together”

In addition to launching Member Stories and a new brand statement, our credit union had quite a busy 2021. We released our newly designed credit and debit cards with new improved features and rewards. The card designs were created out of a beautiful partnership with Stephanie Hung and her nonprofit, Artists Save Waves. Through this partnership, and our “Cards with a Cause” campaign, Hickam FCU raised $5,000 for Stephanie’s cause. Stephanie also painted a mesmerizing undersea mural that is proudly displayed at our Pearl City Branch.

You may have also noticed Stephanie’s art on our new Online and Mobile Banking platforms. These enhanced platforms are a result of your feedback and our desire to constantly improve the member experience. You can view your account balances, check your credit score, pay bills, transfer money, create budgets, and more from your preferred device.

With all these accomplishments, we are extremely humbled to receive the following recognition. Once again, Hickam FCU was honored as one of Hawaii Business Magazine’s Best Places to Work. In 2021, we were also extremely proud to be recognized as Forbes Magazine’s Best-in-State Credit Unions in Hawaii. Thank you to our Board of Directors, staff, and members for making this possible.

Finally, we look forward to 2022 as another year of continued progress to provide great service and financial solutions to our members and the communities we serve. It will take all of us, but if we stay positive and continue to help each other, “we can make it better, together”.

Scott Kaulukukui

Hickam FCU President/CEO

Notice of 85^th Annual Meeting

The 85th Hickam FCU Annual Meeting will be held Monday, March 7, 2022 at the Pearl City Branch. Registration will begin at 4:00 p.m. with the meeting to be conducted promptly at 4:30 p.m. Precautions to stem the spread of COVID-19, will be in place. Several offices will be set up with limited capacity for safety and remote access to the meeting. No refreshments will be served. To RSVP to attend the Annual Meeting please contact our Call Center at 808-423-1391.

Member Appreciation Celebration

To commemorate our 85th Annual Member Celebration, Hickam FCU will be awarding $8,500 in prizes. The entry period begins on January 10, 2022 and runs until March 11, 2022. To enter, please look for the entry form link in your December account statement.

Additionally, visit our branches beginning March 7, 2022 to receive a special 85th Anniversary commemorative item and treat while supplies last.

2022 Scholarship Program

Hickam Federal Credit Union feels that it is important to give back and support our student members. That’s why Hickam FCU is proud to continue our College Scholarship Program aimed to help our members in advancing their education and striving to achieve their dreams.

The 2022 Hickam FCU College Scholarship Program will award five (5) $1,000 scholarships to deserving graduating high school seniors attending an accredited 2 or 4-year institution of higher learning, or undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a higher degree from an accredited institution.

Primary members with their own Hickam FCU Savings Account in good standing for a minimum of 12 consecutive months prior to the application deadline may apply. Scholarship recipients will be selected based on academics, leadership, school/community service, merit, recommendations, and financial need.

We would also like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the Gamble Ohana, for their monetary donation to the Scholarship Program in memory of former Board Member, Loretta Keanu who was a huge supporter of Hickam Federal Credit Union and the education of our keiki.

Applications will be available starting January 10, 2022 at all Hickam FCU branch locations, or download a PDF scholarship application and print it. Applications must be postmarked by March 15, 2022 to be eligible. For more information call our Call Center at 808-423-1391 or visit a branch.

Financial Counseling Certification

We sincerely congratulate Shaleia from our Kapolei Branch (left) and Lisa from our credit department (right) on earning their CUNA Financial Counseling Certifications. This designation will allow them to further assist members with their financial situations.

Shaleia says, “Financial counseling can help members to alleviate any financial stress they may have. It’s the first step towards financial freedom.” Lisa is excited to be “teaching our members how to create a budget, to save first, pay their bills on time, live within their means to reach their financial goals…anyone can do it!” Shaleia and Lisa are the first two of many Hickam FCU staff members who will work towards earning this certification. With this next level of financial assistance, we can make it better, together.

New Year. New Possibilities.

Is financial wellness part of your New Year's resolution? Let GreenPath help you with your 2022 financial goals. As a member, you can receive help with budgeting, debt counseling, improving your credit score, money management, and more from GreenPath Financial Wellness.

Left: DreamHouse Co-Founder and Chief Education Officer Alex Teece giving the Hickam FCU team a tour. Right: Hickam FCU team posing with Teece and DreamHouse students.

Hickam Federal Credit Union selected a unique charter school to receive a $5,000 donation. DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach is Oahu’s newest charter school that provides quality education to Hawaii’s keiki through a highly collaborative learning environment. On November 29^th, DreamHouse Co-Founder and Chief Education Officer Alex Teece gave Hickam FCU President/CEO Scott Kaulukukui and Hickam FCU staff members a tour of the school. Teece passionately explained the school’s history, mission, and goals which include adding a grade level per year until 2026.

 

Artists Save Waves Donation

From left to right: Kitty Wu (Stephanie's mother), Carol Ebia (Hickam FCU Board of Directors Chair), Scott Kaulukukui (Hickam FCU President/CEO), and Stephanie Hung (Artists Save Waves Founder).

Thank you for using your Hickam FCU Credit Cards! We were able to raise $5,000 for Artists Save Waves through our Cards for a Cause campaign. Artists Save Waves founder and artist, Stephanie Hung, designed the beautiful Hickam FCU Debit and Credit Cards and the mural at the Pearl City Branch last year. We are proud to support Stephanie and her amazing cause.

Angel Tree Campaign

Mahalo to all who generously participated in our 2021 Angel Tree campaign. Together, we were able to provide gifts for all 114 children in need! We thank the Hickam First Sergeants Council for putting on another successful campaign.

Protecting Your Identity on Social Media

Social media is a hot spot of information that thieves can use to compromise your identity and accounts. Here are some precautions to protect your identity:

• Check your privacy settings! Keep your accounts private and only befriend people that you know and trust.
• Keep your personal information minimal. Avoid displaying information like middle names, pet names, hometown, full birthdate, schools attended, and employer. Also, never publicly answer social media prompts. You may have seen posts like: “Your DJ name is your favorite color + your pet’s name”. Many people make the mistake of commenting their answers for everyone to see. Thieves can use this information to guess your security question answers.
• Never click on suspicious links or reply to suspicious messages, even from people you know. Thieves will impersonate people you know to get you to click on links that will ultimately compromise your account. Always contact your friend via other means to confirm if the message is legitimate.

If you suspect that you have fallen victim to Identity Theft, follow the Federal Trade Commission’s plan for recovery here.