No one at a financial institution wakes up one morning and decides to start originating ACH payments. There’s a lot that goes into it, as Sunrise Family Credit Union can attest. In fact, their board had long wanted SFCU to become an Originating Depository Financial Institution (ODFI), and when Whitney Sode joined as Chief Financial Officer, her response was, “Let’s do it.” But Sode knew they would need help—and she knew exactly where to find it. 

“Nacha was the only option. I didn’t even look into other options. In my opinion it’s the golden standard,” Sode told Nacha’s Payments SmartCast podcast. 

SFCU partnered with Nacha Consulting late in the summer of 2024, working with Mark Dixon, Senior Consultant. Dixon said Nacha Consulting doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. Just the opposite.

“We very much tailor our consulting engagements to the client that we’re working with,” Dixon told the podcast. Some clients like the “use us as much or as little as you need” approach, while others prefer Nacha Consulting to “scope out a full project.”

“It’s really about us trying to make sure that we’re a partner with our clients in helping them accomplish what they need to.”

Sode called it “a fantastic experience” working with Nacha Consulting. “Mark has done a lot of the work for me because … I simply don’t have the time to dedicate,” said Sode. She added that Dixon is even helping a key SFCU employee involved in ACH processing prepare to take the Accredited ACH Professional exam. 

SFCU’s Board has declared 2025 to be the Year of the Member, and ACH origination is helping make that happen. 

“It really comes back to that journey for our members of being that one-stop shop, being able to do whatever transaction it is that they need from us,” said Sode. “And I think that’s going to help us grow.”

Much more was discussed, and you can listen to the complete podcast below.

To learn more about Nacha Consulting and their services, visit their website.