April 15, 2026
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Royal Credit Union (Royal) was among 181 credit unions nationwide named as winners of the prestigious Diamond Awards, America's Credit Unions Marketing, PR & Development Council’s annual competition recognizing excellence in credit union marketing.
The first award celebrates Royal’s 2025 Hunger Action Month efforts, a multifaceted effort demonstrating a strong commitment to addressing food insecurity. Team members volunteered at local food banks, and $19,500 was donated to support their missions. Through coordinated volunteer efforts and multimedia storytelling, the campaign highlighted partnerships with area food banks, inspired community involvement, and amplified the impact of these essential programs. The initiative reflected Royal’s core purpose of creating a positive impact in the lives they touch and embodied the credit union philosophy of people helping people.
The second award recognizes Royal’s social short-form video campaign in partnership with Team Hebert Curling. This initiative combined financial education with the excitement of Olympic-level curling. Using reels, behind-the-scenes content, and athlete testimonials, the campaign connected curling’s principles of strategy, precision, and teamwork with smart money management. The campaign engaged audiences across social platforms, elevated brand awareness, highlighted key Royal products, and reinforced Royal’s commitment to creative, community-focused financial education.
“This honor reflects Royal’s ongoing commitment to serving our Members and strengthening the communities we’re proud to be part of.” said Melissa Koontz, VP of Marketing and Communications at Royal.
This year’s Diamond Awards competition drew a record of 1,481 submissions. In total, 330 awards were distributed, reflecting the exceptional quality of work produced by credit unions nationwide.
“We are proud to recognize Royal and this year’s Diamond Award winners for their entries that deliver both creativity and results,” said Lorrell Bellotti, Diamond Awards Co-chair and Chief Marketing Officer at Western Vista FCU in Cheyenne, Wyoming. “These entries demonstrate an understanding of the people we serve and strategic execution that delivers measurable impact.”
About Royal Credit Union
Royal Credit Union is a federally insured credit union proudly serving over 300,000 Members in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Royal is driven by a core ideology built on a strong purpose and values. You can open an account or apply for a low-rate loan at Royal Credit Union if you live or work in 26 counties in western Wisconsin or 16 counties in Minnesota. Counties served in Wisconsin include Adams, Ashland, Bayfield, Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Lincoln, Marathon, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Washburn, and Wood. Counties served in Minnesota include Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Olmsted, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Wabasha, Washington, Winona and Wright. A complete list of Member eligibility requirements is available on the Royal Credit Union website. To learn more about Royal, visit rcu.org or call 800-341-9911.
About America’s Credit Unions
America’s Credit Unions is the unified voice for not-for-profit credit unions and their more than 140 million members nationwide. America’s Credit Unions provides strong advocacy, resources and services to protect, empower and advance credit unions and the people and communities they serve. For more information about America’s Credit Unions, visit AmericasCreditUnions.org.
About Councils:
Councils is a member-led, collaborative community of credit union leaders providing vibrant peer interaction, new ideas and innovation to foster professional development while advocating for the overall success of the credit union movement. There are eight Councils with a network of more than 8,000 credit union professionals. For more information, visit americascreditunions.org/councils.
