N.M.'s CU Anytime network joins CO-OP Network

ONTARIO, Calif. -- Albuquerque, N.M.-based CU Anytime, which consists of 19 credit unions and 134 ATMs throughout the state, joins CO-OP Network as a shareholder/member.

Founded in 1997 by seven New Mexico credit unions seeking to supply their members with wider access to ATMs throughout the "Land of Enchantment," CU Anytime has grown to include nearly 400,000 cardholders.

According to CO-OP Network Chief Operations Officer Gene Polito, the deal will expand CO-OP's footprint in New Mexico from 73 surcharge-free ATMs to more than 200. It's also part of the network's strategy for expansion in the Southwest, he said in a news release.

Calling ATM access "a vital component of our business," CU Anytime President Don Gray, said the deal was a way to offer CU Anytime members access to surcharge-free ATMs around the country rather than just in New Mexico.

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Ontario, Calif., CO-OP Network provides ATM transaction processing as well as volume discounts on products and services that include risk management as well as debit and deposit access. CO-OP Network has more than 800 credit union clients, 12,000 surcharge-free ATMs and 10 million cardholders.