After eight months of makeovers, Washington Mutual branches in the Northwest are ready to be introduced by their new name — Chase.
Employees and customers will be ringing in the coming era with New Chase Day at branches in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah today.
Cindy Doty, market manager for Chase in Western Washington, says the day’s a celebration of employees – complete with cake, coffee and the culmination of all-things-WaMu fading into Chase blue.
Customers' account numbers and debit cards will remain the same. The only change: the new Chase logo that will appear on merchandise. WaMu logos will be replaced on checks and credit cards when they are up for replacement.
Since purchasing WaMu's assets in September after the bank’s collapse, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has spent $56 million adding employees and refurbishing the 187 branches in Washington State to make them match the Chase look.
Christine Braswell wasn't sure what she'd find each morning during remodeling season when she walked into the Lakewood branch she manages.
"It was all after hours Monday through Friday. We would come in the next day and see the improvements," she said, pointing out where silver plates replaced metal Ws that had branded desks in the lobby.
To read the complete article, visit www.thenewstribune.com.