Unitus Announces Strategic Shift to Distributed Administrative Network of Facilities

Posted by Katy Wagnon on August 9, 2022

Unitus Community Credit Union, based in Portland, is launching the first phase of its “Distributed Administrative Network” strategy, in which the credit union will establish multiple locations for employees to work, collaborate, and connect in spaces that are more conducive to do so.

After years of discussion, surveys, evaluation, and planning, Unitus has closed on the purchase of its first Distributed Administrative Network facility. Bridgeport Center, an 89,610-square-foot building on Durham Road in Tigard, will better serve the organization’s changing needs in support of remote, hybrid, and in-office employees.

Unitus will vacate its current leased location at 1300 SW 6^th Avenue in Downtown Portland in 2024 as it transitions operations to multiple locations, including the new Tigard facility. The timeline to complete the shift to the Distributed Administrative Network is over 36-48 months, with the move from Unitus Plaza completed in early 2024.

“This new operational model allows Unitus to create an activity-based working environment, where employees can work out of different types of spaces over the course of a day or week,” explained Steven Stapp, President and CEO of Unitus. “This gives employees the ability to choose how they work best.”

The shift to this new model will create long-term value for the credit union’s membership, reducing overall operating costs.

“This first location in our Distributed Administrative Network is in a geographic location that will reduce commute and environmental impacts for our staff,” detailed Stapp. “It also affords us the opportunity to offset our footprint with on-site wetlands and operational systems that are environmentally friendly and controlled onsite.”

As part of this new strategic operating model, the Plaza Branch will move to another downtown location. Unitus is currently evaluating available space for the relocation. The new Tigard facility will be located less than a mile from Unitus’ new Bridgeport Village Branch, which is scheduled to open in Q4 of 2022.

“We’re looking forward to bringing new facilities online to better serve our staff, members, and community partners,” said Stapp. “This strategic shift to multiple administrative facilities is a direct response to the organization’s changing needs around flexibility, collaborative spaces, and employee engagement and wellbeing.”

Posted in Oregon, Regional Member News.