By GINNY COOPER/Staff Writer

VINCENT—Coosa Pines Federal Credit Union has been open for just two weeks, but approximately 50 people have already signed up for savings accounts, Branch Manager Kendra Ricks said.

“We knew it (Vincent) was perfect,” Don Carden, CEO of Coosa Pines said. “We’re looking forward to taking care of members in this area.”

Coosa Pines Credit Union decided to open a branch in Vincent soon after Frontier Bank was acquired by HeritageBank closed its doors last August.

“We had 1,000 members in the Vincent area already,” Carden said, and explained Vincent was a natural choice for the company.

Many community leaders as well as Coosa Pines board members attended the ribbon cutting of the new branch on May 14.

“(Coosa Pines) is very community minded and they have really become part of the community,” Vincent Mayor Ray McAlister said.

McAlister stressed the convenience of the location and the benefit of local financial advice, with other banks four to 10 miles from the community.

“When you have a good solid bank, people can work with bankers on investments,” McAlister said, calling the location a “win-win” for the community and Coosa Pines.