About Paragon Services, LLC

Affordable Web Sites for the Credit Union Industry

Paragon Services, LLC is a CUSO formed in 1995 by Paragon FCU, located in Washington Township, NJ. The CUSO was organized to offer a variety of Internet services to credit union related organizations. The mission is to specialize in providing custom affordable web sites and hosting for credit unions, credit union members and select employee groups. Paragon Services is currently responsible for over 100 credit union related web sites.

Collectively, the Paragon Services staff has many years of networking experience in credit union computing. This experience is what gives Paragon Services a clear understanding of the unique challenges volunteers and management face in positioning credit union related organizations to meet the needs of today's members via the Internet.

Birth of a Mission

Paragon's 1995 strategic view for the future of the financial services industry included an acute awareness of the need for an Internet presence. The fastest growing demographic segment for the Internet was noted as being the nation's youth. These young people would form the future membership of the credit union industry. (Today's second fastest growing segment is the 55+ age group; a group who comprises a significant percentage of the credit union's current membership). The largest segment at that time for the Internet was the white collar professional, a segment with an above average income and net worth. Attracting both of these groups would enhance the credit union's asset base, as well as their percentage of transactional income.

Paragon decided it was imperative for the organization to offer Internet related services to maintain its current membership and acquire membership from the nation's youth. A web site construction task force was organized and included members of the board, executive, information technology and marketing personnel. Paragon's web site was completed shortly thereafter.

Fellow Credit Unions Take Interest.

Not long after the introduction of Paragon's web site, other credit unions began asking Paragon questions about the Internet and whether they too should have an Internet presence. Some credit unions asked Paragon to help them develop a web site. The idea to organize a CUSO to build affordable web sites for the credit union industry was debated and then acted upon.

Paragon Services, LLC was then officially chartered to produce affordable web sites for mid-sized and smaller credit unions and credit union related entities. In addition to providing this service, Paragon staff has offered insight to their credit union clients as to how to market a web site and continue to grow their online presence.

Looking to the Future

Paragon continues to research and update its Internet knowledge for the benefit of current and future clients across the nation. Several areas that will be of interest to all of us include monitoring the Internet technology advances of other financial services providers, testing and offering database driven web sites, and researching online laws and regulations for credit unions. As knowledge is gained in each of these and any other pertinent Internet related areas, Paragon will provide its clients with updates.

It seems that something new about the Internet can be learned every day. By working together to gain and maintain knowledge of the Internet, the credit union industry can remain competitive with other financial services providers while providing the caring support of its members.