A pair of credit unions with a long history serving the aviation industry are planning a merger to improve service, sustainability and growth potential. The combining of Ent Credit Union of Colorado and Wings Credit Union of Minnesota will result in one institution with approximately $19.6 billion in total assets serving nearly one million members.
The new entity will have almost 90 locations in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“As we have continued to expand our footprint across Colorado, we are committed to maintaining our roots of service to ensure great rates, first in-class mobile banking and top-notch service,” Ent Credit Union President and CEO Chad Graves said in a joint press release. “We remain local enough to care about our communities and large enough to offer outstanding experiences, products and services.”
Graves has been tapped to lead the newly formed credit union, which will be called Wings Credit Union and have a Colorado state charter. The merger proposal received unanimous approval from the boards of directors for each institution. A formal agreement was signed between the two companies on Feb. 28 and they anticipate being legally combined in 2026.
Wings Credit Union was founded in 1938 under the name Northwest Airlines Employees Credit Union in St. Paul, Minn. As the name suggested, it was formed to serve employees of the airline but expanded its membership over the years to serve the broader aviation industry and beyond.
Ent Credit Union was chartered in 1957 to serve military and civilian personnel assigned to Ent Air Force Base (now the United States Olympic Training Center) and Peterson Field (now Peterson Space Force Base) in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“With shared roots in aviation, the name Wings Credit Union celebrates our unique legacies and the positive impact ahead,” Wings Credit Union President and CEO Frank Weidner said. “The concepts of ‘Wings’ and flight also have strong connections to the ideas of upward movement, goals, aspirations and achievement. While our geographic footprint may be different, our values and culture are strongly aligned.”
Members of both institutions will not see any immediate change, according to the companies. The existing credit unions plan to continue operating independently while awaiting regulatory approval and a member vote on the merger.
“The Ent board has been considering strategic growth opportunities to ensure an even brighter future for our credit union,” Ent Credit Union Board Chair Pam Nicholson said. “After meaningful deliberation of the benefit to our members through this merger of equals, the board voted unanimously to move forward. We are excited to leverage our combined strengths to do even more to elevate our service and make a positive difference for our local communities.”
Ent Credit Union has $9.9 billion in assets and 560,000 members, and Wings Credit Union has $9.7 billion and 371,000 members.
The organizations noted their alignment in their commitment to giving back, donating more than $15 million collectively over the past decade and they have been named a “Best in Class Workplace” by a variety of national and local organizations.