May 19th, 202505Dr. Carolyn Russell-Walker of Ramsay High School Named Honoree
BIRMINGHAM, AL. — AmFirst was honored to present the Academic Leader Award at this year’s Minority Business Awards, hosted by SummitMedia on Thursday, May 8, at The Club. This prestigious recognition was awarded to Dr. Carolyn Russell-Walker, principal of Ramsay High School, for her exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication to academic excellence.
Dr. Russell-Walker was selected as this year’s honoree through a public voting process online for her commitment to uplifting students and creating lasting impact in the Birmingham community.
“Never in a million...
May 15th, 202507Birmingham, Ala – At the Annual Meeting in April, the Southern Energy Credit Union Board of Directors honored President and Chief Executive Officer Derrick E. Ragland Jr. with the Salvador A. Marino Lifetime Achievement Award. This award was given in recognition of Derrick’s exceptional dedication and service to members.
“Derrick has shaped the future of our financial institution,” said Greg Shipp, Chairman of the Southern Energy Credit Union Board of Directors. “Without his leadership and ambitious vision, the current success and future path of Southern Energy Credit Union would not be possible.”
Derrick’s 43-year career...
May 12th, 202506ēCO and the ēCO Credit Union Foundation presented college scholarships totaling $7,500.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — ēCO Credit Union and the ēCO Credit Union Foundation are committed to supporting educational initiatives. In May, ēCO Credit Union proudly awarded two A.L. Bratcher Scholarships, each valued at $2,500. The ēCO Credit Union Foundation additionally provided one scholarship of $2,500 to promote educational opportunities further.
Since 2011, the A.L. Bratcher Scholarship has been proudly awarded to exceptional high school seniors, recognizing their achievements and potential. The 2025-2026 A.L. Bratcher Scholarship recipients are...
May 8th, 202505BIRMINGHAM, AL. — On Saturday, May 2, AmFirst and the Children’s of Alabama INDY Grand Prix recognized Nate Burch, Director of Choirs at Pell City High School and Duran Junior High School, as the 2025 Education Champion of the Year. This award celebrates educators who go above and beyond to empower students, create inclusive learning environments, and make a lasting impact in their communities.
Multiple families and students nominated Mr. Burch for his remarkable leadership, creativity, and unwavering dedication to his students, qualities that have transformed the choir program at Pell City High School. His classroom is described as a...
May 8th, 202504BIRMINGHAM, AL. — AmFirst and WBRC 6 proudly announced the winners of the prestigious 2024–2025 Rising Star Scholarships, a program dedicated to recognizing outstanding high school students across Central Alabama, at an awards ceremony on Friday, April 25th.
Each week during the academic year, WBRC chooses a Rising Star, a student who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership, and service. These Rising Stars are students from across Alabama currently enrolled in their senior year of high school and plan to attend a full-time college or trade school in Fall 2025. From a competitive pool of 30 remarkable Rising Stars, six students were...
April 22nd, 202507Birmingham, Ala. – The Southern Energy Credit Union Foundation announced and delivered $19,000 donations to seven charitable organizations. The recent donations, totaling $133,000, were part of the Foundation’s 2024 distribution of funds in support of its mission to empower the organizations working to strengthen our communities by addressing the needs of individuals within them.
Check presentations took place at Southern Energy Credit Union’s 71st Annual Meeting of the Membership on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
The recipient organizations included:
Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama
Autism Support of Alabama
Children’s...
April 9th, 202506AUSTIN, TX. — AmFirst was among 180 credit unions nationwide named winners of the prestigious Diamond Award, the Marketing, PR & Development Council’s annual competition for marketing excellence.
AmFirst received Diamond Awards in the following categories:
• Social Media: 12 Days of Giveaways campaign
• Brand Awareness: KidsFirst campaign
• Out of Home: Jacksonville State University partnership
• Community Partnerships & Relations, Endorsements, or NIL Efforts: Jacksonville State University partnership
• Email – Single or Series: Rewards Points email
• Ongoing Event: Better Basics Birmingham partnership
The...
April 4th, 202507HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Redstone Federal Credit Union’s President & CEO, Joe Newberry, is among six new members recently appointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC).
The CDIAC was established in 2010 by the Board of Governors to provide input on the economy, lending conditions, and other issues of interest to community financial institutions. The council consists of a group of bankers and industry experts. Newberry joins Angie Barger, Aaron Dorn, Susan Moss, Brian North, and Suzanne Weinstein. They will each serve three-year terms that expire in 2027.
“I am truly...
April 4th, 202505BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — AmFirst is excited to announce the official start of construction on its new student. branch at Jacksonville State University. This milestone follows the historic partnership established in August 2024, which included the naming rights to AmFirst Stadium. The new branch, located at the corner of Pelham Rd N and Skelton St NW, across from the Jax State College of Business and Industry, is set to open in Fall 2025.
This branch will serve as a financial hub for students, faculty, and the broader Jacksonville community. Designed with accessibility and convenience, the branch will be open during normal business hours,...
Alabama
