Credit Union Leasing of America (CULA) announced on Monday that it has been selected by FORUM Credit Union to bring the benefits of vehicle leasing to FORUM’S more than 160,000 credit union members across 15 branches in Indiana.

This partnership continues CULA’s extension of its national footprint and marks its largest credit union collaboration in the state.

FORUM Credit Union has served central Indiana for more than 80 years, growing to more than $2 billion in assets while providing innovative services and modern financial solutions tailored to its members’ needs. This partnership reinforces FORUM’s dedication to offering members a diverse range of options and access to flexible and cost-effective vehicle financing solutions.

“Our purpose, ‘helping members live their financial dreams’, drives us to support our members in achieving their financial goals in every stage of life,” said Chris Ferguson, vice president consumer lending at FORUM Credit Union.

“In a market where vehicle prices and interest rates remain elevated, vehicle leasing is a valuable option for our community. CULA’s turnkey solutions and expertise enable us to expand our offerings to include the very best in vehicle leasing, providing our members with greater term flexibility and more affordable monthly payments,” Ferguson said.

CULA reiterated that its leasing program is analytically driven, handling all the intricacies of leasing for its clients — including insurance, operations, compliance and more — enabling credit unions to easily add leasing to their portfolios and dealers to offer their customers more finance options.

“In today’s challenging economic climate, leasing provides credit unions with a valuable way to serve their members by offering a flexible and cost-effective auto finance solution,” CULA president Ken Sopp said.

“Partnering with FORUM Credit Union furthers our mission of expanding consumer access nationwide to leasing’s more affordable options. FORUM has a long track record of delivering financial expertise, guidance and tools to their members, and we are proud to further support this with the benefits of our vehicle leasing program,” Sopp continued.

CULA’s understanding of the credit union financial model has resulted in long-term business relationships with top-tier credit unions, including nine of the top 10 credit unions offering leasing in the U.S.

CULA offers vehicle leasing through credit unions in 23 states and more than 40 credit unions are currently active on CULA’s innovative leasing platform.

“In today’s market, affordability is paramount, and leasing offers a practical solution by providing access to new vehicles with lower monthly payments compared to traditional financing,” CULA director of business development Chris Harper said.

“At CULA, we are dedicated to helping credit unions provide this valuable option to their members through strategic partnerships like this one,” Harper went on to say.