Dennis Hickey, marketing manager of COK Credit Union. - contributed

COK Cooperative Credit Union has opened a branch in Mandeville, continuing its transformation into a national rather than Kingston-focused institution.

"We had within the Manchester and St. Elizabeth belt over 5,000 members begging us to come into a central location," said COK's Deputy General Manager, Dennis Hickey.

"Our bond says we serve people wherever they reside in Jamaica, so we responded to the call."

COK, with 208,000 members and assets of $6 billion used to be a credit union focusing primarily on membership in the capital, which its name suggested. But it changed, dropping the Kingston, widened its portfolio of products and sought to build a national identity.

COK now has five branches, including Montego Bay, in the northwest coast and in Portmore, St. Catherine.

"We have an eye on growth," said Hickey. "We plan to expand our membership base in this area (south-central Jamaica)."

Hickey expects that the current 5,000 members in Manchester/St. Elizabeth to grow to 15,000 by 2009.

susan.gordon@gleanerjm.com