The name for the merged credit union, made up of Conexus, Cornerstone, and Synergy Credit Unions, will be Conexus Credit Union. The announcement was made official Wednesday morning. The first CEO of the new entity was also announced, with current Conexus Credit Union CEO Celina Philpot being selected by the boards of the three current credit unions. She will officially step into the role January 1st, 2026, when the merger takes effect. The CEOs of Cornerstone Credit Union and Synergy Credit Union, Doug Jones and Trevor Beaton, respectively, will continue in their current roles until the official merger date.
“I’m honoured to lead the new Conexus Credit Union into this exciting next chapter,” said Philpot in the release announcing the new name. “This merger marks a powerful commitment to our members and communities across Saskatchewan. I’m deeply grateful for the trust placed in me and look forward to working alongside our dedicated employees and Board to build a stronger, more resilient credit union that is deeply rooted in community and focused on the future.”
The new credit union will not be closing any of the existing 57 branches across its footprint. This includes the Cornerstone Credit Union branches in Kipling, Montmartre and Vibank, and the Conexus Credit Union branch in Midale. In the release making the announcement, it was stressed that while the name on the building may be changing for some branches, the service will stay the same, with the decision-making remaining in the community.
The board chair of Cornerstone Credit Union, Heidi Schofer, gave her endorsement of Philpot taking on the role as the CEO.
“Her strategic vision and member-first mindset will be instrumental in building a credit union that delivers long-term value for communities across Saskatchewan,” Schofer said in the written statement.
The Conexus name was selected due to the existing brand recognition it has across a large part of the province, as well as resonating well in market assessments that were conducted.
When the merger is completed, the new credit union will be the largest in Saskatchewan, with more than 200,000 members and 57 branches in 50 communities. The merger will also have $15 billion in assets and 1,400 employees throughout the province.
The next phase of the merger is now focusing on the planning of the behind-the-scenes pieces, such as the integration of systems, products, services and operations.