Diamond Credit Union opens new Berks branch

“We are ready to rock and roll the Shillington and Cumru area.”

With those words from Rick Patel, president and CEO, Diamond Credit Union moved one step closer to opening its newest branch — the financial institution’s fifth in Berks County and eighth overall.

Following a week-long soft opening last week, the branch officially opened on Monday.

Patel’s comments were made as he welcomed dozens of local officials, members, guests and employees to a grand opening/ribbon cutting April 16 at the new branch, 1030 Cedar Top Road in Cumru Township.

The Lower Pottsgrove Township-based Diamond broke ground on the site last April — a 5.01-acre parcel of land adjacent to an Aldi store and near a Rite Aid location and the Kenhorst Plaza shopping center.

Corey Coleman, branch manager, kicked off the formal portion of the program by presenting a $1,000 check to David Delozier, chief development officer for Helping Harvest. In making the presentation, Coleman said she was excited to continue Diamond’s tradition of partnering with not-for-profit organizations.

“We chose Helping Harvest, which has been providing food in our neighborhoods for more than 40 years and works with more than 350 charitable food programs in Berks and Schuylkill counties,” she said, adding that the agency provides more than 100,000 families with meals each year.

Patel told the crowd that the company’s vision is to be the leader in providing financial achievement for everyone in the community.

“We have done that for more than 20 years, and we intend to keep it going for many more years,” he said.

Patel thanked Cumru officials as well as contractors and Diamond employees for their involvement in the project. He recognized former Diamond President and CEO John Faust, who retired in May 2022 and attended the event.

“Your vision of having such fantastic, contemporary, modern facilities is just so phenomenal and we intend to carry on that tradition,” Patel said of Faust. “We couldn’t have had this if you didn’t have the vision — and it has come to life.”

What’s new?

The 4,100-square-foot branch is similar in size to other Diamond branches.

It includes three drive-up windows, a service first desk in the rotunda where every customer will be greeted as they enter, video banking kiosks where customers can complete transactions or speak with tellers, as well as some meeting space.

“I have built many branches. This is the most beautiful branch I’ve seen, and it makes a statement,” Patel added.

“All of this — as cool, as innovative as it is — what sets us apart in my opinion and makes the vision come to life is our team members.”

Todd Rothenberger, chief member experience officer for Diamond, echoed Patel’s sentiment.

“It can sound cliché sometimes, but as others are downsizing, when you walk into a Diamond facility you will be greeted by people who are anxious to talk to you about why you stepped into the building,” Rothenberger said. “That doesn’t exist everywhere anymore. That’s how we staff. We think we can set ourselves apart in the markets we serve and make a difference for people.”

He added that technology is a driver, “but we believe when you want people to talk to, you better have them ready to do it.

He said the company’s strategic plan includes being “high tech and high service.”

“We can’t have one without the other,” Rothenberger added.

Construction

Rothenberger said the project proceeded pretty smoothly over the last year.

“There were a few supply chain issues that put us back a month or two,” he said, adding that things quickly got caught up.

Diamond had begun to look at Cumru as the site for a new branch by the time the company completed construction on its Muhlenberg Township branch in 2019.

While Rothenberger could not provide any specifics, he said the company is “on a complete search of four areas in our market to find one or more to be the right strategic space for Diamond to grow.”

He added that when construction began on the Cumru site last year — the credit union already had about 3,000 customers in that area. That number has grown a bit as people have anticipated the opening.

Based on how things went during last week’s soft opening, Rothenberger anticipates the company will get more aggressive with marketing this week — including “open now” banners, as well as digital marketing and postcards mailed in the market.

Diamond Credit Union was launched in 1947 inside of Dana Inc. in Pottstown to serve its employees. It began with eight members. Diamond became state chartered in the early 1990s, gaining the ability to serve multiple businesses. In the mid-2000s, Diamond shifted to a community charter that allowed it to serve anyone in all of Berks and parts of Chester and Montgomery County.

In 2021, Diamond Credit Union expanded its charter to include four full counties — all of Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks counties — creating the potential to grow its customer base.