When Jeff Tisdale first heard about the Pathways Project—Envision’s innovative plan to form a working partnership with First Calgary Savings—he wasn’t sure what to think. The idea sounded promising, but like most Envision employees he had questions. What was First Calgary really like? How did its culture compare with Envision’s? What was its business strategy? How did it treat its member-owners?

So when Jeff heard he could win a chance to go check things out for himself, he jumped at the opportunity. So did fellow employees Mark Redman, Maxine Esau and Reggie Sahota. Together, they formed the Pathways Discovery Team.

“We wanted to be able to speak to colleagues at our own level about what life at First Calgary was really like,” says Jeff.

To the surprise of the team members, they found walking into a First Calgary branch was very much like walking into an Envision branch. The same held true for their visit to First Calgary’s head office.

“Both organizations have a clear sense of who they’re in business for,” says Reggie. “And that’s our member-owners. At the same time, they both recognize that being able to give good service means taking care of staff and creating an environment where people feel appreciated and want to contribute each day.”

Although the partnership is in its infancy, it’s already beginning to yield a number of benefits. Member-owners who move in either direction across the Rockies, for instance, can now enjoy a hassle-free transition to the respective local partner. In addition, Envision and First Calgary now have the opportunity to jointly fund new ventures by business members. In time, the two organizations also hope to integrate and align a variety of back-office functions for even greater efficiency.

“I’m excited about this opportunity,” says Jeff. “It’s the first interprovincial partnership of its kind among credit unions, and I think it says a lot about Envision’s commitment to building a stronger organization. As an organization, we’re not content to sit on our laurels. We’re always pushing the envelope in an effort to be the best we can be.”