The Pennsylvania-based credit union had not made a core change since the mid-1980s. Instead the decision was delayed and systems acquired through the years were pieced together. Citadel executives were waiting for the “right technology to come along,” which meant having a balance of stability as well as evidence of innovation. The credit union found that Symitar’s scalable Episys system supports complex product offerings while also delivering progressive options for core processing and complementary services.

Jeff March, president and CEO of Citadel, said, “With every peer reference, we continued to hear instances of Symitar being responsive in client support and hitting deadlines when converting and delivering other services. That type of relationship is important to our credit union, heading into the conversion as well as for the long term.”

Citadel acknowledged a confidence in the Episys toolset to enhance processing and workflow, improving its member interaction. The credit union views Symitar’s Episys as a strong base package that provides opportunities for growth and flexibility, particularly with access to the PowerOn Marketplace® – a collaborative environment for Episys credit unions to securely exchange programs and applications they have built to further improve system functionality and performance.

According to Ted Bilke, president of Symitar, “Citadel performed a wealth of due diligence before making its core conversion decision and Episys proved to be both reliable and innovative over the years. The open architecture of Episys enables any credit union to configure its core system for optimal adaptation of specific business needs. Giving our clients this type of flexibility allows them to grow membership as well as expand products and services at a healthy rate. This is evidenced by our hundreds of long-term credit union clients that see an average of 15-25 percent growth in assets per year since conversion, some even higher.”