Denton Area Teachers Credit Union (DATCU) and the University of North Texas announced Monday a partnership that makes the credit union the exclusive financial institution for the university and provides naming rights to the UNT football stadium.
“It’s a great marriage between two distinctly Denton institutions,” said Glen McKenzie, DATCU CEO. “We were founded in 1936 by UNT educators and teachers from local school districts for the purpose of serving educators. This partnership honors that original vision and further engrains us into the North Texas region.”
DATCU began as the Denton County Teachers Federal Credit Union on the campus of North Texas State Teachers College, which eventually changed names to the University of North Texas. Dr. V.Y. Craig, Ross Compton, and 11 others pooled together an initial investment of $650 to protect the financial assets of teachers during the Great Depression. DATCU has since grown to more than 100,000 members and assets of $1.5 billion, according to a company news release.
The partnership also extends to the UNT Career Center, with the credit union offering advice and soft skill seminars to prepare students for professional careers, as well as experiential training in a number of different fields.
“As a proud alumna, I do think it is important to build relationships that honor the vision of our institution’s founders,” said Melanie Vest, DATCU President. “I know UNT has a mission to train and inspire our future leaders. We share that passion and seek to build a solid financial foundation for those leaders.”
The university’s Board of Regents and President Neal Smatresk finalized the partnership during a board meeting on Friday. Installation of new signage at DATCU Stadium is expected to be completed this summer, in time for UNT’s first football game against California on Sept. 2, its first game since joining the American Athletic Conference.
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