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Coast Capital partners with Collabria Financial

Canada’s largest national credit union partners with Collabria to supply exclusive credit card solutions to its 600,000 members.

July 11, 2023

SURREY, BC AND CALGARY, AB – Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union (Coast Capital) and Collabria Financial Services Inc., (Collabria) announced today that Collabria will become the exclusive credit card issuer for Coast Capital members as of October 2023. Through this partnership, Coast Capital members will benefit from Collabria’s turn-key full-service, digitally enabled credit card program.

“We believe every Canadian deserves a financial partner who is invested in their success, and that is why we’ve chosen Collabria as our partner to help us provide credit card services to our current and future members across Canada,” said Catherine Wood, Chief Strategy, Product and Marketing Officer, Coast Capital. “Collabria’s experience and understanding of providing card services to financial cooperatives will bring our members an enhanced suite of credit card products, rewards and benefits that support their financial goals.”

“At Collabria, we are committed to providing our partners with a credit card program they can proudly endorse to their members, and that reflects our shared co-operative values,” said Jean-Marc Handfield, CEO, Collabria. “Our modernized digital features, including our newly released digital account management platform, CardWise, will modernize the credit card experience for Coast Capital and their members across Canada.”

As a national partner to over 200 credit unions and financial institutions across Canada, Collabria is providing modern, scalable, digitized credit card solutions to their partners, like Coast Capital and their members. Partnering with Collabria will enable Coast Capital to deliver a flexible credit card offering that evolves with the needs of its members.

Both Collabria and Coast Capital are committed to fully supporting current Coast Capital cardholders during this transition, who can expect to transfer to a Collabria-issued credit card in October 2023. Cardholders will be provided with a product that meets the needs their current credit card is serving and can expect direct communication via mail from Collabria and Coast Capital in the coming weeks.

About Coast Capital Savings
At Coast Capital, we’re not dreaming about a better future, we’re building one. We’re a member-owned financial cooperative with an 80-year legacy of unlocking financial opportunities that positively impact people and communities. It’s our belief that every Canadian deserves a financial partner who cares how things turn out. Driven by our social purpose, we look at everything we do through the lens of how we can help our 600,000 members, our employees, and communities. A proud Certified B Corporation®, we’re part of a global movement building a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative economic system.

We also continue our strong commitment to community investment, with more than $95 million reinvested in our communities over the past two decades. We’re deeply committed to making our financial cooperative a great place to work as demonstrated by some of our accolades. Coast Capital is a platinum member of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures, and a B.C. Top Employer and Canada’s largest federal financial cooperative by membership; we have been recognized for our work in the Social Purpose space in the first-ever Social Purpose Ranking by Canadian media and research firm, Corporate Knights. To learn more, visit us online at coastcapitalsavings.com.

About Collabria Financial
Serving over 97% of all credit unions in Canada, Collabria services the needs of credit unions and small financial institutions from coast to coast by offering a world-class credit card program tailored to the needs of credit unions and their members. As a customer-centric provider, we operate through collaboration based on cooperative principles to deliver a broad range or Mastercard and Visa network branded consumer and business credit cards.

At Collabria, our unique offering enables the largest and smallest credit unions the ability to carry their own brands on their credit cards, along with the scale and capability that only the largest financial institutions have access to. For more information, visit collabriafinancial.com.

Media Contacts:

Greg Feniak
Chief Marketing Officer
Collabria Financial Services Inc.,
Email: communications@collabriafinancial.com

Coast Capital Media Line:
Ph: 778.391.6225
Email: media@coastcapitalsavings.com

Our Story

Collabria Financial was established in 2015 to fulfill a significant need in the Canadian credit card market – a credit card issuer dedicated to serving mid-sized financial institutions and their customers. With this gap in the market being identified, forward-thinking credit unions, including Desjardins, set forth to create Collabria.

With no satisfactory provider in the Canadian market, a coalition of forward-thinking credit unions, in collaboration with Desjardins, came together to create Collabria.

From the beginning, when Collabria was just an idea, every aspect of our formation was designed to offer a competitive and compelling credit card program on behalf of mid-sized banks and credit unions. The coalition selected Desjardins as the partner based on its financial stability, experience operating one of Canada’s largest credit card portfolios and for its commitment to cooperative values such as mutual gain between business partners and their members. By operating as a subsidiary, we benefit from the strength of one of Canada's oldest financial institutions, while separating the unique needs of B2B2C clients from Desjardins’ self-issued card portfolio.

Today, Collabria serves over 97% of all credit unions in Canada, Schedule I banks and other financial providers. Collabria combines flexibility for financial institutions with the scale and expertise needed to deliver an increasingly complex product in a highly competitive market.

Our Owners

Collabria’s unique ecosystem benefits from the partnership of Desjardins and Co-op Solutions. Both Desjardins and Co-op are cooperative financial institutions owned by their member organizations.

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the fifth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of $389.3 billion. In 2020 it was ranked as one of the world’s Top 100 Employers by Forbes magazine. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world’s strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry.

Co-op Solutions is a global provider of technology and payments solutions for credit unions. Processing over 7 billion transactions annually, Co-op is one of North America's largest card processors.

Our Commitment To Social Responsibility

As a subsidiary of Desjardins, Collabria is backed by the strength of a collective group moving towards a more human economy and sustainable community development.

In order to meet the needs of our cardholders and clients, Collabria includes social, environmental, and governance issues in our strategic planning and is a key focus in the relationships with our partners.

Learn more

Our Leadership Team

Jean-Marc Handfield

Chief Executive Officer

Jean-Marc is a dynamic, seasoned strategist with over 20 years of results-driven leadership in the Canadian credit union financial sector.

As CEO, he is accountable for delivering innovative payment solutions to credit unions and investing in the shared success and prosperity of their members. In addition, he serves as the Vice President of Business Development, Financial Cooperatives Outside of Quebec for Desjardins Financial Group, with the responsibility of developing and expanding credit union partnerships and operations. Prior to joining Collabria and Desjardins he held numerous senior executive roles, including Vice President of Payment Solutions and Vice President of Community Member Service at Vancity. He is an active member of the community, having served on Visa Canada’s Advisory Committee and the Vancity Community Foundation, while currently sitting on the Board of Directors for Aviso Wealth. Jean-Marc holds a Bachelor of Law and a Master of Laws from Laval University.

Nita Powers

Chief Client Experience Officer

Nita is a card program enthusiast who works to find the win-win relationship that delivers value to customers/members, generates revenue, and brings client strategies to life.

Nita’s payment industry experience includes both issuing and acquiring, loyalty programs, product management, emerging solutions, and includes both Canadian and international experiences including over a decade within Canada’s mid-market.

Michel Iorio

Chief Growth Officer

Michel is a true change agent whose passion for delivering results and inspired leadership has driven growth and success since beginning his journey with Collabria in January 2020 as Head of Client Services. With an inherent focus and energy primed to build upon momentum, Michel has championed transformation through insightful, client-centric collaboration.

Prior to his role at Collabria, Michel worked with Mastercard in account management and consulting, managing strategic relationships for the network. Michel’s leadership in the payment sector was also developed during his time at American Express.

Chad Schultz

Chief Operating Officer

Chad is an energetic and effective leader, who believes that "good enough" is never good enough. Believer in people and their ability to achieve their potential through ensuring that well-being and integrity are supported by inspiration and curiosity.

Chad brings 15+ years of broad experience in financial services, telecommunications, and insurance. He excels in organizations that have a mandate to change and has the ability to bring structure and calm to chaotic situations, mobilizing people toward a common goal and facilitating success. He is passionate about the opportunities created through digital technologies, having expertise in launching credit card platforms, digital payments and related technologies.

Chantal Lussier

Chief Financial Officer

Chantal has over 25 years of experience building and leading finance teams. She began her career with Desjardins and spent several years in finance and operating roles. Chantal has participated in the implementation of various projects and new activities.

Before working with Collabria, Chantal led a finance team in charge of the credit card activities for Desjardins. This has allowed her to develop an in-depth knowledge of the credit card business.

Greg Feniak

Chief Marketing Officer

Greg is a seasoned leader in the financial and payments industry, with over 20 years of experience driving change. Greg brings a wealth of knowledge in marketing, product management, communications, and strategy development to the Collabria team.

Most recently, Greg has worked with Prairie Payments Joint Venture as the Vice President of Strategy & Engagement, leading business development and strategic partnership activities. His leadership and experience has supported the evolution of payment services within the credit union system and the delivery of new solutions for credit unions and financial organizations across Canada.

Serge Léger

Senior Strategic Advisor to the CEO

Serge is a seasoned leader in the financial services sector with over two decades experience in business operations, planning, corporate strategy, marketing, and analytics. His journey at Collabria began as Chief Marketing Officer where his spirit of collaboration, innovation, and belief in building a strong credit card program was instrumental in establishing a modern, data driven, operationalized marketing function.

Prior to joining Collabria, Serge held a series of senior leadership positions including Vice-President of Marketing & Member Innovation at Prospera Credit Union and Head of Business Planning & Strategy at HSBC Bank, Canada’s largest foreign bank.

Claudia Jomphe

Chief Risk Officer

With a degree in finance and in financial planning, Claudia has been working in the banking industry for over 25 years. After holding various positions for different financial institutions, from business development to marketing, Claudia joined Desjardins in 2014 to contribute to various projects surrounding risk management, a field in which Claudia has accumulated over 15 years of experience.

Her mandate as Chief Risk Officer for Collabria is to ensure adequate risk governance and the proper functioning of risk measurement and monitoring systems for Collabria. A manager for over 12 years, Claudia enjoys building teams and contributing to the evolution and development of people.

About Us

Coast Capital partners with Collabria Financial

Our Story

Our Owners

Our Commitment To Social Responsibility

Our Leadership Team

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