Keeping community close: Mike’s member story

 “Keep it local and support the community that supports you,” says Mike Reel, owner of South Valley Automotive. He understands the importance of local support from both sides.  

Mike is a successful businessman now, but when he was younger, he ran into financial issues. His credit wasn’t great, and he even had to return a car to a financial institution. When he had the opportunity to purchase a truck, he went to OCCU to secure a loan.  

He told the lending specialist, “I just need someone to give me an opportunity.”  

And with that opportunity, he was able to purchase the truck, fix it up and sell it at a profit, paying off the loan with the proceeds.  

“If you check my history now, there’s probably thirty-ish vehicle loans through OCCU since then. And now we have moved most of our banking — all personal, most business — over to OCCU.” 

South Valley Automotive opened in 2012, and since then, it has become a Junction City fixture. He chose OCCU because it helped him in a time of need. And he tries to do the same with his own business. Like the time he sold a newly refurbished car to a family in need at a hefty discount so that they’d have a vehicle to drive.  

“We’re not here to get rich,” he says. “We’re here to keep you guys safe and on the road, and giving back to the community that gives to us and keeps us in business is just about the most important thing.”  

He recognizes that OCCU is also focused on keeping people on the road, both literally, with the auto loans he’s so familiar with, but also in a metaphorical, financial journey sort of way.  

“It’s great to see OCCU help out communities, like giving money to the Function for Junction, which went toward local students. It keeps it close.

“That’s another reason why I like to take my business to them; it’s the same reason the community keeps their doors open. Because they give back,” he said. “And that’s always been a philosophy of ours, too.”