Credit Union Leasing of America expands national footprint, extends reach in Indiana, bringing the benefits of leasing to more credit union members

San Diego, CA – March 10, 2025 – Credit Union Leasing of America (CULA), the leader in indirect vehicle leasing for credit unions for over 35 years, today announced that it has been selected by FORUM Credit Union to bring the benefits of vehicle leasing to FORUM’S more than 160,000 credit union members across 15 branches in Indiana. This partnership continues CULA’s extension of its national footprint and marks its largest credit union collaboration in the state.

FORUM Credit Union has served Central Indiana for over 80 years, growing to more than $2 billion in assets while providing innovative services and modern financial solutions tailored to its members' needs. This partnership reinforces FORUM's dedication to offering members a diverse range of options and access to flexible and cost-effective vehicle financing solutions.

"Our purpose, Helping Members Live Their Financial Dreams, drives us to support our members in achieving their financial goals in every stage of life," said Chris Ferguson, Vice President Consumer Lending at FORUM Credit Union. “In a market where vehicle prices and interest rates remain elevated, vehicle leasing is a valuable option for our community. CULA’s turnkey solutions and expertise enable us to expand our offerings to include the very best in vehicle leasing, providing our members with greater term flexibility and more affordable monthly payments."

CULA's leasing program is analytically driven, handling all the intricacies of leasing for its clients – including insurance, operations, compliance and more – enabling credit unions to easily add leasing to their portfolios and dealers to offer their customers more finance options.

"In today’s challenging economic climate, leasing provides credit unions with a valuable way to serve their members by offering a flexible and cost-effective auto finance solution,” said Ken Sopp, President of CULA. “Partnering with FORUM Credit Union furthers our mission of expanding consumer access nationwide to leasing’s more affordable options. FORUM has a long track record of delivering financial expertise, guidance and tools to their members, and we are proud to further support this with the benefits of our vehicle leasing program."

Vehicle leasing continues to gain momentum, with nearly a quarter of all new vehicles leased in 2024, according to Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market Q4 2024 report. This marks a significant rise from 17.22% in 2022 and 22.61% in 2023.

Chris Harper, Director of Business Development for CULA, noted, “In today’s market, affordability is paramount, and leasing offers a practical solution by providing access to new vehicles with lower monthly payments compared to traditional financing. At CULA, we are dedicated to helping credit unions provide this valuable option to their members through strategic partnerships like this one.”

CULA's understanding of the credit union financial model has resulted in long-term business relationships with top-tier credit unions, including nine of the top 10 credit unions offering leasing in the U.S. CULA offers vehicle leasing through credit unions in 23 states and more than 40 credit unions are currently active on CULA's innovative leasing platform.

About Credit Union Leasing of America

Credit Union Leasing of America (CULA) has been the leader in indirect vehicle leasing for credit unions for over 35 years. Founded in 1988, CULA provides best-in-class program assistance, analytics reporting, compliance support, dealer management tools and member services. The CULA indirect vehicle leasing program empowers credit union innovators to diversify their existing loan portfolios, improve yield and expand member services. Visit https://www.cula.com/ to learn more.

About FORUM Credit Union

FORUM Credit Union’s mission, Helping Members Live Their Financial Dreams, is reflected as FORUM endeavors to help members achieve their goals in all aspects of their financial lives. FORUM serves families and businesses in the state of Indiana with convenient branch locations and online access from anywhere. A full suite of financial services is offered including home mortgages, auto loans, personal checking, credit cards, business checking, commercial lending, insurance services, health savings accounts, and investment planning. For more information about FORUM Credit Union, please visit forumcu.com.

Media contacts:

Angela Jacobson, mWEBB Communications, angela(at)mwebbcom(dot)com, (714) 454-8776

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie(at)mwebbcom(dot)com, (949) 307-1723