How does a newly merged credit union—with limited staff resources and multiple branches—modernize governance without overtaxing staff and directors?
StellerVista Credit Union (StellerVista) was formed in January 2023 with the merging of two regional credit unions—Heritage Credit Union and East Kootenay Community Credit Union. With more than CDN $700 million in assets, StellerVista serves more than 20,000 members across seven branches in the Kootenay and Boundary regions of British Columbia, Canada.
To learn how StellerVista streamlined their board governance following a significant merger while better engaging their directors, download the full case study.
The challenge: reduce manual workload and streamline governance without overwhelming directors
Prior to the merger, board governance was a tedious and time-consuming process, requiring Pam Pinch, Corporate Secretary at StellerVista, to convert board documents to PDF and email them directly to board members.
Upon merging, StellerVista needed a secure, user-friendly, and affordable portal that would enable them to reduce admin work and ensure directors could stay up-to-date and organized from remote locations. With a board of nine, which included returning and new directors with varying levels of familiarity with technology, it was also important that every board member could become comfortable and confident using the board portal.
“I was tasked with reviewing and doing the research to find a solution. Our old way—sending PDFs around—just wasn’t effective anymore. We needed a real board portal,” says Pam Pinch.
The solution: saving time while making good governance simple with Aprio
Pinch consulted her network of credit union executive assistants and governance professionals, during which Aprio emerged as the most recommended choice amongst her industry peers. Based on this guidance, StellerVista conducted a thorough evaluation, comparing Aprio against several other board portal software, including Diligent, which they found both too expensive and too complex for their needs.
Aprio stood out for its ease of use, excellent customer support, affordability, and the ability to add new features as StellerVista grows and their needs evolve.
Aprio quickly proved its value to StellerVista as the credit union began onboarding their directors. With limited in-house IT support, directors easily booked sessions with the Aprio support team for one-on-one training, empowering each board member to access the necessary documents and tools to govern effectively.
“Aprio was the right level of technology for us. And I didn’t need to onboard anyone myself or provide technical support—directors scheduled training directly with the Aprio support team in their own time,” says Pinch.
The impact: time saved, increased board engagement, and industry-leading support when it matters most
Since implementing Aprio, StellerVista has saved several hours each month on board prep and communication. Pinch no longer needs to email PDF documents to directors—everything is uploaded into Aprio and easily accessible for revisions and notes. Board members have especially embraced the calendar dashboard to help keep themselves accountable for upcoming deadlines and meetings.
The high level of customer support was another standout reason StellerVista chose Aprio’s board portal for credit unions—from onboarding to one-on-one training and 24-hour availability, Aprio’s customer support has helped StellerVista’s directors feel confident using the board software, regardless of their familiarity with tech tools. Because Aprio’s support team is made up of former board administrators, they deeply understand the realities and day-to-day challenges of board management and administration—including last-minute emergencies on evenings or weekends.
Not long after implementing Aprio, Pinch found herself facing a challenge—while on vacation, on a boat in the middle of a lake, on a Saturday, she realized she’d forgotten to publish a board package. Pinch called Aprio’s 24-hour customer support line and the Aprio team member published the package for her with plenty of time to spare.
“Aprio doesn’t just provide a platform—they make sure you succeed with it. The help they provide is exactly what you need when you need it,” says Pinch.
Key impacts for StellerVista using Aprio’s board management software include:
- Time savings: Since implementing Aprio, StellerVista saves several hours per month on board preparation and communication.
- All board information in one place: Instead of time-consuming emails and follow-up messages, all board materials are uploaded to the board portal. Directors make notes directly in Aprio, helping them stay up-to-date and prepared for meetings.
- Security and confidentiality: Confidential documents are accessible from anywhere via the board portal, ensuring end-to-end security.
- Room to grow: As StellerVista continues to grow and evolve, premium features can be added to their board portal at no extra cost, ensuring their board portal grows along with them.
Download the full case study to learn more about how StellerVista Credit Union simplified board governance and saves hours each month using Aprio.
