Centris Federal Credit Union
Building Growth by Committing to Members
Nebraska, USA
At a Glance
• 65% of loan decisions fully automated
• 3 major collections processes fully digitized
• 90-day ramp-up time for new hires
• Seamless core banking integration
• Yearly upgrades keep platform current and secure
For Centris Federal Credit Union, delivering on its mission to be a trusted, lifelong financial partner means staying agile. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, with nearly 139,000 members and $1.4B in assets, Centris operates in a competitive market shaped by economic uncertainty and rising delinquency rates.
We’re always looking for smarter ways to help our members, especially during financial stress. Temenos helps us do that by letting us adapt quickly without adding headcount.”
David Ellefson, Vice President, Special Assets, Centris Federal Credit Union
From spreadsheets to smart workflows
Centris first implemented Temenos Collections and Loan Origination in 2014 and has continued to invest with yearly upgrades, most recently to version 24.05 in May 2025.
In Collections, the shift has been dramatic. What once relied on dozens of Excel sheets and disconnected databases is now fully centralized in Temenos. Charge-offs, repossessions, and bankruptcies are all managed through custom workflows, built in-house.
“We used to track charge-offs in a spreadsheet,” David explained. “Now it’s all in Temenos. We built a charge-off queue and workflow that routes accounts, generates reports, and streamlines monthly approvals. It’s clean, consistent, and efficient.”
The same goes for repossessions and bankruptcies, which were migrated from legacy tools to automated workflows in Temenos. “There’s accuracy now. We can pull a report, see exactly where an account stands, and take action. That just wasn’t possible before,” he said.
Faster, smarter lending
Temenos Loan Origination powers all of Centris’ loan decisioning and funding, excluding first mortgages and indirect lending. With custom business rules, scripting, and decision engine integration, the system supports everything from easy loans to home equity line of credit (HELOC) products.
Today, about 65% of approvals are fully automated, thanks to Zest AI integration and a flexible decision rules framework. This gives Centris the speed and consistency needed to stay ahead.
Temenos lets us build what we imagine. We’ve launched multiple products, improved compliance with embedded scripting, and streamlined our workflows. Most updates are done in-house, without vendor tickets”.
David Ellefson, Vice President, Special Assets, Centris Federal Credit Union
Improving from the inside out
Both Collections and Loan Origination teams report strong usability and fast training for new hires. Collectors are fully operational in around 90 days, and loan officers follow consistent, compliant scripts built into the platform.
Members feel the impact, too. With Collections, self-service tools like SMS payment links mean fewer uncomfortable phone calls. “Not everyone wants to talk,” David noted. “A simple text with a secure link lets members take care of it themselves.”
On the lending side, quicker decisions, fewer handoffs, and clear communication create a smooth journey from application to funding.
Centris values Temenos not just for the platform, but for the control it gives back to the business. From creating custom workflows to running new reports, the team isn’t waiting on vendors.
The platform integrates seamlessly with a 3rd party core banking, syncing data in real time. And with minimal downtime and smooth yearly upgrades, it’s a reliable foundation for the future.
I’ve never had a collections tool where we could build what we needed ourselves. With Temenos, we can test ideas, roll out changes, and keep improving without delays.”
David Ellefson, Vice President, Special Assets, Centris Federal Credit Union
A future of smarter systems
Centris is preparing for continued growth, from $1.4B today to a projected $3.5B in assets by 2035. That scale demands technology that can keep up.
A new UI upgrade is planned for 2026. Conversations about AI and cloud are underway, with plans to explore both after current priorities like a new contact center platform are delivered.
“We’re signing a new five-year deal with Temenos because we believe in the platform,” David said. “But we also believe in what’s next. When the time comes, we want to be ready.”
By bringing critical processes into one adaptable system, Centris is freeing up teams, improving service, and laying the foundation for a smarter, more scalable credit union experience.
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