GLWIB Member Corner

About Member:

Ray attended New Hampshire College of Accounting where he received an Associates’ degree in Accounting. He then attended Merrimack College and received a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Ray began his career teaching Social Studies at a middle school in Lawrence, before moving on to the Arlington Trust Company, where he received management training. From there, Ray was employed at Pelham Bank and Trust which was eventually purchased by First Essex Bank. From First Essex Bank, Ray moved on to Northern Mass Telephone Workers (NMTW) Community Credit Union. He has been employed here since 1999. Ray works closely with local businesses to ensure that appropriate lending is provided, and the members make educated decisions about their business’s future.

Ray has been a member of the GLWIB since April 2010. He also serves on the Merrimack Valley WIB. Ray is highly involved in the communities of Northern Middlesex serving on the Lowell Small Business Assistance Center’s Micro-loans Board and assisting the Greater Haverhill Community Action Council in events

Company Description:

NMTW Community Credit Union (originally Northern Massachusetts Telephone Workers Credit Union) was founded in 1922 to serve the financial needs of area telephone and communication company employees. The original purpose of NMTW was "to promote thrift among its members by giving them an opportunity to save money in small amounts and to obtain loans at moderate rates for purposes which promise to be of benefit to the borrower."

In 2005, the credit union was granted a community charter and changed its name to NMTW Community Credit Union.  With a community charter, NMTW can now serve anyone that lives, works, or attends school in Middlesex or Essex Counties in Massachusetts, several cities and towns within Norfolk and Worcester Counties in Massachusetts, and Rockingham and Hillsborough Counties in New Hampshire.  In addition to its branches in Danvers, Framingham, and Lowell, NMTW expanded in 2008 by opening an additional branch in Lowell at Cross Point, which was then followed by the Haverhill branch during the summer of 2010. NMTW now has over 100 employees company-wide.

Today, NMTW has grown its assets to over $500 million and its membership base to over 25,000 people.  More importantly, while NMTW’s membership has grown, its core values have sustained – to add value to members’ days by providing them with sound and secure financial products and services.

NMTW is committed to spreading the word about the benefits of credit union membership and through its Family and Friends referral program, which is now in its third year; NMTW has introduced over 1000 new members to the credit union difference.  NMTW also created an innovative savings account called the Super Saver in which members can deposit funds to an account which yields a higher interest rate and a $100 bonus at the end of the term.  On the technology side, NMTW continues to grow and evolve, having added many free eServices in the past two years, including remote deposit and mobile banking for members.  The credit union is socially connected as well and you can socialize with NMTW through its Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages or by visiting the NMTW Blog (www.nmtw.org).

From helping to build and enhance the area through economic development and initiatives, to finding community organizations to partner with which provide valuable services to local residents, NMTW plays a vital role in the communities it serves and is a visible presence throughout the Greater Lowell area.

NMTW has established its role as a leader in the community by sponsoring events such as the ever-popular Folk and Winter Festivals, as well as by working with organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell and Community Teamwork Inc. (CTI).  NMTW has worked consistently with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell for several years, offering the Money Smart financial literacy program for teens and sponsoring both their Thanksgiving and Holiday parties each year.  At CTI, NMTW offers a revolving six-week long financial literacy course and sponsored the first-ever FinanciallyHers conference earlier this year.  NMTW is also a contributing member to the Lowell Development Financial Corporation’s Energy Loan Program and is a consistent supporter of the Lowell Plan.

To learn more about the services provided by NMTW, visit their website at www.nmtw.org