The Power of Partnership Continues To Grow!

Online, January 5, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The Boards of Affinity Group Credit Union, headquartered in Pontiac, MI and Kensington Valley Community Credit Union, headquartered in Highland, MI announce the collaboration of their two organizations. State regulators have approved the merger and Kensington Valley members voted unanimously to create this partnership.

Both Kensington Valley and Affinity Group share great similarities, starting with their strong member-focused cultures. Together, the combined credit union will continue to grow and prosper, offer enhanced member value, gain greater efficiencies, and remain focused on helping members, employees, and communities live financially strong.

"I am very pleased that Kensington Valley Community Credit Union chose to join Affinity Group Credit Union as part of our unique Credit Union Family," said Thomas M. Miller, President & CEO of Affinity Group Credit Union. "KVCCU becomes the fourth credit union to partner with Affinity Group CU as we continue to collaborate with new credit union partners, build a stronger organization and larger branch network to serve our members who live, work, worship or attend school in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe and Livingston Counties."

Using the Affinity business model will allow Kensington Valley Community to continue to market the KVC brand as a part of Affinity Group Credit Union. In addition, three members of the KVCCU board will join the AGCU board; all KVCCU staff will become employees of AGCU; and the Highland office will remain open to serve all current and new members in the surrounding community.

"Our Board took a serious look at the long-term prospects for our credit union and what it could offer to our members and our employees. Affinity Group was clearly the best option," said Joseph E. Strauss, President & CEO of Kensington Valley Community Credit Union. "We knew we had to have a larger asset and capital base, but we wanted to stay 'us'. We wanted our staff to have opportunities. We wanted to give our members more than we could offer on our own. Affinity Group's model provides all that."

The combined credit union will have assets of $134 million, 5 branches, and more than 20,000 members, the majority of which live in Southeast MI. This partnership will offer more value to members through an expanded branch and ATM network, as well as continue to offer members the best suite of financial products possible through great products, services and maintaining existing online and mobile products.

Collaboration with other credit unions and service providers is nothing new for AGCU and KVCCU. Both credit unions have partnered within several CUSO's including:

• CU* Answers (www.cuanswers.com)
• Mortgage Center, LLC (www.mortgagecenter.com)
• Xtend, LLC (www.xtend.com)
• CU Partner Solutions (www.cupartnersolutions.com)

About Affinity Group Credit Union

Affinity Group Credit Union is a member owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative, committed to providing quality financial services at a competitive price delivered in a professional and efficient manner, never forgetting to serve our member/owners. The business model is what makes Affinity Group Credit Union unique. In 2007, the first merger united three separate credit union legacies into one powerful team: Crestwood Community, Municipal & Health Services and WySouth...and now Kensington Valley Community are all a part of Affinity Group Credit Union.

About Kensington Valley Community Credit Union

On January 29, 1959 KVCCU was founded under the name Huron Valley School Employees Credit Union by a small group of Huron Valley School employees who wanted to offer a savings and loan alternative to the employees of the school district. Since then, KVCCU had changed it's name to reflect the expanded membership base, but the core of the credit union has always been, and will remain, do the right thing for the membership. Going into the merger, KVCCU has more than $28 million in assets, 4500 members and serving people who live, work, worship or study within the Huron Valley, Brighton, Hartland, Howell, Pinckney, Novi and South Lyon school districts.