Credit Union Youth Month

Parents have the important role of teaching their children life skills that will enable them to thrive as adults. One important skill is to learn how to manage money well. Practicing this skill early will help children through the inevitable financial ups and downs common in adulthood.

Opening a savings account for your children gives them a great opportunity to begin their training. In addition to developing the habit of saving money regularly, your child will learn how to differentiate between “needs” and “wants,” control their spending, and how to plan for their future.

National Credit Union Youth Month is a great opportunity to start teaching them good financial skills. Every April, credit unions across the country focus on educating youth about financial health. This year’s theme,” Unleash the Power of Saving at a Credit Union™,” encourages kids to take care of their “pet” savings account and watch how powerful it can be. A strong and healthy savings account can provide security (and a lot of fun!) for their future.

Please join us to celebrate Youth Month this April and help your child “unleash” the power of saving!

Wendy Knight named Branch Manager at Clay Street location of Mutual Credit Union

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

Vicksburg, Miss. – Mutual Credit Union is pleased to announce the hiring of Wendy Knight as Branch Manager of our Clay Street location.

Wendy Knight

Originally from Chicago, IL, Wendy began her career as a Teller Coordinator with Bank of America. Throughout her 8+ years there, she held a variety of roles with increasing responsibility, including Personal Banker, Client Service Specialist, Lead Operations Representative and Teller Supervisor. Since moving to the Vicksburg area in 2013, she has been a Financial Relationship Senior Consultant with Regions Bank – focusing on proactively meeting the banking and financial service needs of her clients. Her goal has always been to provide quality service to customers through efficient branch operations and a positive team environment which she is eager to bring to the Clay Street Branch.

Michael Mathews, CEO of Mutual Credit Union, stated, “We have taken our time in the search for a Manager of our Clay Street location as it is an important role. We are excited to add Wendy to the Mutual team as she embodies all of the qualities we were looking for in a candidate to successfully lead the branch and serve our members and staff well.”


Mutual Credit Union continues to be a multi-branch financial institution offering world-class products and services in the following counties: Warren, Hinds, Yazoo, Issaquena, Sharkey, Claiborne, and Copiah with an expanded presence now in Lowndes County, MS and Pickens County, Alabama. In 2021, we celebrated 90 years of service to our members and our communities. Although Mutual CU might look a little different now than it did in 1931, we remain your credit union focused on ‘people helping people.’ We continue to look forward to the future and to secure the economic prosperity of our members. 

For more information about Mutual Credit Union, please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please call 877-457-3654.

Christie Bethley named Branch Manager at Columbus location of Mutual Credit Union

Friday, January 6th, 2023

Columbus, Miss. – Mutual Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of Christie Bethley to Branch Manager of our Columbus location.

Christie Bethley

Christie joined the Mutual team on April 21st, 2022 as a Financial Services Representative at our Columbus branch, but comes from an extensive background in the banking world. She began her career at Bank of America as a Fraud Detection Specialist before becoming a Full-Service Personal Banker with First Midwest Bank. In 2013, Christie joined the credit union world as a Member Services Representative for Georgia’s Own Credit Union where she later became a Consumer Loan Officer. Christie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and English from The University of Mississippi.

Michael Mathews, CEO of Mutual Credit Union, stated, “Although Christie has worked for Mutual less than a year, she has a wealth of knowledge in the credit union industry and has been a wonderful addition to our Columbus Branch. Because of the asset she has proven to be in such a short time, we are proud to promote her to Branch Manager of this location and know it will be the perfect fit.”


Mutual Credit Union continues to be a multi-branch financial institution offering world-class products and services in the following counties: Warren, Hinds, Yazoo, Issaquena, Sharkey, Claiborne, and Copiah with an expanded presence now in Lowndes County, MS and Pickens County, Alabama. In 2021, we celebrated 90 years of service to our members and our communities. Although Mutual CU might look a little different now than it did in 1931, we remain your credit union focused on ‘people helping people.’ We continue to look forward to the future and to secure the economic prosperity of our members. 

For more information about Mutual Credit Union, please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please call 877-457-3654.

PRESS RELEASE: Jessica Hearn named Branch Manager of e-Services at Mutual Credit Union

Monday, September 19, 2022 

Vicksburg, Miss. – Mutual Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of Jessica Hearn to Branch Manager of e-Services.

Jessica Hearn

Jessica began her career at Mutual on June 2, 2014 as a Teller at the Cherry Street branch. She was promoted to Financial Services Representative at our Clay Street branch in 2016 and then became the inaugural member of our e-Services team in 2019. In 2021, Jessica was named Supervisor of e-Services and now in 2022 she will be Branch Manager of the department. She is widely involved as a leader in the credit union world and in Vicksburg, having completed MSCUA’s LEAD program and currently involved in Leadership Vicksburg.

Michael Mathews, President of Mutual Credit Union stated, “E-Services has been a hugely important part of Mutual’s efforts to meet our member’s financial needs despite their location. Jessica has done a phenomenal job at this from the beginning and we are proud to promote her to Branch Manager of this department.”


Mutual Credit Union continues to be a multi-branch financial institution offering world-class products and services in the following counties: Warren, Hinds, Yazoo, Issaquena, Sharkey, Claiborne, and Copiah counties with an expanded presence now in Lowndes County, MS and Pickens County, Alabama. In 2021, we celebrated 90 years of serving our members and our communities. Although Mutual CU might look a little different now than it did in 1931, we remain your credit union focused on ‘people helping people.’ We continue to look forward to the future and to secure the economic prosperity of our members. 

For more information about Mutual Credit Union, please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please call 877-457-3654.

PRESS RELEASE: Nicole Knight named Branch Manager at South Frontage Road location of Mutual Credit Union

Press Release 

Monday, August 1, 2022 

Vicksburg, Miss. – Mutual Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of Nicole Knight to Branch Manager at our South Frontage Road location.

Nicole Knight

Nicole began her career at Mutual on August 17, 2015 as a Teller at the SFR Branch. She was quickly promoted to Receptionist at our Main Office in 2016, but was feeling called back to South Frontage to be a Financial Services Representative in May of 2017, where she has been ever since. In 2021, Nicole won the “Busy Bee Award” for opening both the most accounts and loans for the entire year – a huge testament to her cheerful attitude, work ethic, and commitment to improving the financial lives of our members and community. We are very fortunate to have Nicole’s expertise in our Mutual CU Family.  

Michael Mathews, President of Mutual Credit Union stated, “I believe Nicole is the ideal person to lead our South Frontage Road branch into it’s next chapter of growth and success. We have all been impressed by her dedication to provide top-notch service to our members while helping to support her fellow employees.”


Mutual Credit Union continues to be a multi-branch financial institution offering world-class products and services in the following counties: Warren, Hinds, Yazoo, Issaquena, Sharkey, Claiborne, and Copiah counties with an expanded presence now in Lowndes County, MS and Pickens County, Alabama. In 2021, we celebrated 90 years of serving our members and our communities. Although Mutual CU might look a little different now than it did in 1931, we remain your credit union focused on ‘people helping people.’ We continue to look forward to the future and to secure the economic prosperity of our members. 

For more information about Mutual Credit Union, please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please call 877-457-3654.

PRESS RELEASE: Tawana Dart Named Mutual Credit Union’s Vice President of Finance

Press Release 

Thursday, March 10, 2022 

Vicksburg, Miss. – - Mutual Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of Tawana Dart to Vice President of Finance. 

Tawana began her career at Mutual on June 11, 2007 as a Teller. She was quickly promoted to the Accounting Department and became Senior Accountant on July 23, 2018. Tawana holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from The University of Southern Mississippi and is currently pursuing an MBA from Mississippi College. She is also a Certified Regulatory Vendor Program Manager. We are very fortunate to have Tawana’s financial and accounting expertise in our Mutual CU Family.  

Michael Mathews, President of Mutual Credit Union stated, “Tawana has been a key part of our success and we were thrilled to promote her to this leadership position. I am confident that she will be an important asset to help our organization reach it’s goals.”


Mutual Credit Union continues to be a multi-branch financial institution offering world-class products and services in the following counties: Warren, Hinds, Yazoo, Issaquena, Sharkey, Claiborne, and Copiah counties with an expanded presence now in Lowndes County, MS and Pickens County, Alabama. In 2021, we celebrated 90 years of serving our members and our communities. Although Mutual CU might look a little different now than it did in 1931, we remain your credit union focused on ‘people helping people.’ We continue to look forward to the future and to secure the economic prosperity of our members. 

For more information about Mutual Credit Union, please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please call 877-457-3654.

2022-2023 Mutual Credit Union Scholarship Committee Now Accepting Applications

2022-2023 Mutual Credit Union Scholarships

The Mutual Credit Union Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications for our 2022-2023 Mutual CU Scholarships. Every year, Mutual provides $10,000 in awards for the upcoming school year to recognize its members who have shown scholastic achievement and who are interested in advancing their education. We will award six (6) scholarships in the amount of $3000, $2000, (2) $1500, and (2) $1000 to high school seniors who best meet the requirements.

Applications must be received at Mutual Credit Union by close of business on Friday, April 1, 2022. A completed application package may be submitted electronically, by mail, or delivered to any of our branches.

Mail To: Mutual Credit Union, Attn: Scholarship Committee, PO Box 25, Vicksburg, MS 39181

e-Mail: marketing@mutualcu.org

For additional questions or to request an application be mailed to you, please call Mutual Credit Union at (877) 457-3654 or email marketing@mutualcu.org.

Mutual has a firmly-held belief that the education of our community’s youth is a solid investment in our community’s future. We wish the best of luck to all applicants and to each of our graduating seniors.

Hours of operation for all Mutual locations are Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; drive-thru services open at 8:30 a.m. Account access is also available 24/7/365 by visiting mutualcu.org, using the Mutual Credit Union app on your mobile device or by calling our SAM Audio Response System at 1-877-457-3654 option 1.

PRESS RELEASE Karen White Named Branch Manager At Cherry St. Location of Mutual Credit Union

Press Release 

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 

Mutual Credit Union Announces, Karen White as the New Branch Manager at the Cherry Street branch in Vicksburg, MS 

Vicksburg, Miss. – - Mutual Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of Karen White to Branch Manager of the Cherry Street branch located in Vicksburg, MS. Karen began her career at Mutual on October 2, 1989, as a Member Service Representative. Karen has since served in various roles during her 30 years that include, clerical/data processing, loans processing, collections officer, loan closer, underwriter, and currently serving as a loan officer. We are very fortunate to have Karen’s over 30 years of expertise in finance, collections, and lending in our Mutual CU Family.  

Michael Mathews, President of Mutual Credit Union stated, “Karen has consistently been a driving force in the credit union providing best in class service and we can’t wait to see her take the lead as we continue into the future.” 

Mutual Credit Union continues to be a multi-branch financial institution offering world-class products and services in the following counties: Warren, Hinds, Yazoo, Issaquena, Sharkey, Claiborne, and Copiah counties with an expanded presence now in Lowndes County, MS and Pickens County, Alabama. This year, 2021, we celebrate 90 years of serving our members and our communities. Although Mutual CU might look a little different now than it did in 1931, we remain your credit union focused on ‘people helping people.’ We continue to look to the future and to secure the economic prosperity of our members. 

For more information about Mutual Credit Union, please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please contact the marketing department at marketing@mutualcu.org or call (601) 636-7523 ext. 1226.

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What You Need to Know About Smishing Scams

Text messaging has come under attack as one of the most vulnerable media for identity theft and more. Here’s what you need to know about an SMS message-based scam called “smishing.”

How it works

Smishing scams use text messages to establish contact with the intended victim to later access their personal information.

The scam begins with a supposedly urgent text appearing to be from the victim’s financial institution. The text may claim that the victim’s checking account is locked, or that there has been an unauthorized purchase charged to the victim’s account. The scammer will warn that immediate action must be taken.

The victim is then instructed to call a specified number and, upon doing so, will be asked to share their financial information. Once they’ve got their hands on this info, the scammer is free to steal the victim’s identity, empty their accounts or go on a shopping spree on the victim’s dime.

Zelle payment scams are on the rise – if you haven’t initiated a Zelle payment it’s a scam – don’t fall for it!

Who are the victims?

Smishing scams primarily target people who do their banking online, but fraudsters will use any cellphone number they can find. If you own a checking account and a cellphone, you are a candidate for a smishing scam.

Recognizing smishing scams

Your credit union will not alert you of a possible fraud or account lockdown via text; we prefer more personal means to help you know it’s us.

Also, the phone number the smishing text instructs you to call is not ours. You can reach us at 877-457-3654 . If you’re told to contact us at a different number, it’s not us you’re calling!

You can also spot the smishing scam just by looking at the phone number. The text will often appear to come from a number that is obviously fake.

If you’ve been targeted

If you receive a suspicious-looking text, do not engage the texter! Jot down the scammer’s number and delete the message. Let us know about the smishing attempt, tell all your friends and alert the FTC.

If you’ve fallen for the scam and your accounts have been compromised, alert your credit card companies and be sure to let us know, too.

Protecting yourself

  • Always use two-factor authentication for banking app and sites.
  • Use strong and different passwords across your accounts and apps.
  • Ignore all text messages from unknown numbers.
  • Don’t let those crooks get their hands on your money!

Your Turn: Have you been targeted by a smishing scam? Tell us about it in the comments!

CONSTRUCTION TO MUTUAL CREDIT UNION’S CLAY STREET BRANCH DRIVE-THROUGH TO BEGIN MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Vicksburg, Miss. – – Construction will begin Monday, September 13th, 2021, on the parking lot and drive through access lanes at the Clay Street branch of Mutual Credit Union located at 4210 Clay Street in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The phases of construction are expected to last between 45 to 90 days (about 3 months) depending on weather impacts to construction.

Mutual is committed to ensuring that service remains top priority though drive-through traffic is expected to be impacted during this time. Construction is expected to impact only one lane of the four-lane drive through at a time beginning with the outermost lane proceeding inward toward the building.

The planned improvements to the parking and drive-through area are expected to increase traffic flow capability allowing for better ease of access to drive-up services. “As Mutual [Credit Union] continues to grow to meet our membership’s ever-changing needs, some growing pains are expected” says Mutual Credit Union President, Michael Mathews. “We know that the result will provide for a better experience for anyone using Mutual’s drive through services at the Clay Street location.”

Mutual Credit Union strives to provide world class financial solutions and service. To reduce the impact to wait times during construction, use lobby teller services, visit any of our other convenient locations, use the Mutual Mobile App to make check deposits, or try our full-service ATMs that accept check and cash deposits, visit during non-peak hours (mid-morning or mid-afternoon), and avoid the busiest days – the first few or last few days of the month.

For more information about Mutual Credit Union please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please contact the marketing department at marketing@mutualcu.org or by calling (601) 636-7523 ext. 1226.

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