Building the right workplace for OCCU’s future
CONTACT
Cherie Kistner
Vice President, Communications
541.681.6016
Date: 8.13.2026
For immediate release
Building the right workplace for OCCU’s future
By Greg Schumacher, OCCU president & CEO
At OCCU, our vision is to Enrich Lives. That begins with our members, employees and the communities we serve. It also requires us to continually examine whether the way we operate supports the organization we are becoming.
That is the broader context behind OCCU’s next workplace decision. Our current headquarters was built for a different era of work, and we have been exploring how to create a smaller, more intentional environment that better supports connection, collaboration and the way our teams serve members today.
A workplace designed for how we work today
Like many organizations, OCCU experienced a significant shift in how work happens when non-branch employees moved to remote work in 2020. We learned that this model could successfully support our employees and members, and we committed to remaining as flexible as possible.
Six years later, our workforce remains largely remote. As a result, we currently use only about 40% of our 53,000-square-foot headquarters building, which sits on roughly 10 acres. The building has served OCCU well for 20 years, but it was designed for a different way of working.
That does not mean the workplace is no longer important. In many ways, it is more important than ever. But its purpose has changed.
We have been evaluating options for a smaller, more intentional workplace designed around collaboration, connection and the needs of our employees. Our goal is not to step away from having a workplace. It is to create the right workplace for OCCU’s future.
Advancing our workplace strategy with care
As we considered whether our current headquarters still fits the organization we are becoming, an opportunity emerged that could help us move toward a workplace better suited to OCCU’s future. Costco expressed interest in the property to support its neighboring Eugene warehouse, creating a path to explore an agreement that could meet OCCU’s long-term workplace needs. So, we recently signed a non-binding letter of intent to sell our current headquarters property to Costco.
Any transition would take time, and that is intentional. If the sale is completed, OCCU will remain at its current headquarters during a multi-year transition period, giving us time to thoughtfully identify and prepare a workplace that fits our future.
This approach gives OCCU time to plan its next workplace with care and purpose. We can continue serving members and supporting employees from our current location while planning a space that reflects how our teams work, how we build culture and how we create value for members. It also creates the possibility of community benefit during the transition by allowing Costco to utilize part of the property for additional parking.
It is also important to emphasize that the sale is not final. OCCU and Costco must still complete a purchase and sale agreement and other related steps before the transaction can move forward. We will continue to approach that process carefully and intentionally, with the same discipline we are bringing to every part of OCCU’s broader transformation.
Connecting workplace, culture and member experience
Our workplace strategy is one part of a larger movement underway at OCCU. We are embracing technology and artificial intelligence, strengthening our performance culture and designing an employee experience that enables our teams to deliver an exceptional experience for members.
These efforts are connected. Our workplace strategy, investments in technology and focus on performance are all intended to build a stronger OCCU. If we can create a better experience for employees, use our resources wisely and deliver something truly different for members, that is worth being bold about.
That thinking reflects a leadership philosophy I introduced when I became CEO earlier this year: Bold, Not Reckless. It represents a commitment to innovation while maintaining sound risk management. Being bold means being willing to challenge assumptions and try new things. Not being reckless means doing so with discipline. We test, listen, learn and continue moving forward.
The proposed workplace transition reflects that balance. We are pursuing a path that will lead OCCU to a workplace better suited to its future, support the evolving needs of our employees and provide a meaningful benefit to the community. At the same time, the proposed multiyear transition would give us the space to make thoughtful decisions about what comes next.
For OCCU, this moment is about much more than a building. It is about being intentional with our resources, creating the right workplace for the organization we are becoming and building a stronger OCCU equipped to serve members, support employees and enrich lives for years to come.
Greg Schumacher
Greg Schumacher serves as President & Chief Executive Officer of OCCU, a role he assumed in May 2026 after more than a decade of progressive executive leadership with the organization. An attorney by training, Greg brings deep expertise in enterprise risk management, financial planning and reporting, regulatory and legal compliance, assurance services and governance. Since joining OCCU in 2013, he has held several senior leadership roles, including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, with responsibility for finance, enterprise risk management, compliance, administration, governance and related operational functions.
About OCCU
OCCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with more than $3.5 billion in assets. The credit union was founded in Eugene, Oregon, in 1956 and remains headquartered there. OCCU has an expanding network of branches and digital tools to provide its more than 300,000 member-owners with a full suite of financial products and services. Membership is open to anyone living or working in most of Oregon, southwest Idaho and anywhere in Washington. Learn more at MyOCCU.org.
# # #
