October 22, 2026
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents presented the Regents Business Partnership Award to Royal Credit Union and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Oct. 22 for the extensive collaboration that has been vital to the region for years.
Regent Amy Traynor presented Royal Credit Union President and CEO Brandon Riechers and UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Edwin Martini with the prestigious award, which was created in 2023 to recognize the critical partnerships that have formed between businesses and the Universities of Wisconsin.
Universities of Wisconsin Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Johannes Britz was in attendance for the presentation at Royal Credit Union headquarters in downtown Eau Claire.
“It’s a pleasure to continue this tradition by honoring Royal Credit Union and its partnership with UW-Eau Claire,” Traynor says. “It’s truly an impressive partnership. There is no doubt the relationship between UW-Eau Claire and Royal Credit Union will be amplified further in the coming years, and as regents we look forward to seeing it flourish.”
Riechers, a graduate of UW-Eau Claire, says he is proud to accept the award on behalf of the Royal team, which has worked closely with UW-Eau Claire faculty, staff and students over the years. That collaboration included student internship programs, community event co-sponsorships to a recent summer internship program in AI, which brough together three UW campuses — UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout.
“It is an honor to accept this recognition on behalf of Royal Credit Union and to celebrate a partnership that means so much to our organization, our team members, and the community we call home,” Riechers says.
Riechers says the groundbreaking 2025 AI internship program is a great example of the Royal team tapping into and leveraging the creative thinking and expertise of Blugolds to benefit the credit union and its members.
“UW–Eau Claire’s impact reaches well beyond the classroom. The university brings people and organizations together, contributes expertise and new ideas, and serves as a catalyst for innovation, entrepreneurship and community well-being,” Riechers says.
Royal Credit Union employs over 100 UW-Eau Claire alumni, several of whom were hired after completing a student internship in Eau Claire and other branch offices. These folks were proud to attend the presentation and recognize the vital connection that their alma mater maintains with Royal Credit Union and the ways in which these interactions advance initiatives and opportunities for the benefit of the community and Royal members.
“Such visionary thinking, combined with Royal’s continual support for the programs, events, communities, and institutions its members rely on, makes Royal Credit Union a truly indispensable partner to UW-Eau Claire and to our region,” Chancellor Martini says. “I can’t think of a better example of a community pillar than Royal Credit Union. Visionary leadership at Royal and the Royal Credit Union Foundation have helped spur downtown Eau Claire’s resurgence on numerous occasions, including as key donors to Pablo Center at the Confluence and through their perennial support of Downtown Eau Claire, Inc.”
About Royal Credit Union
Royal Credit Union is a federally insured credit union proudly serving over 340,000 Members in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Royal is driven by a core ideology built on a strong purpose and values. Royal was recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2026 in Wisconsin and Minnesota. 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.
