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Updated: August 9, 2025 @ 2:21 pm
Photos by David Laurell / Gain Federal Credit Union representatives Laurie Krattiger and Jasmine Moran oversee the Gaining Ground Scholarship Program.
Among notables in attendance were Darin Guggenheimer, Kathy Brenner and Peggy Pulver.
Brock Collins and Jasmine Jimenez of Gain came out in support of the scholarship recipients.
Gain interns, Aram Hovanessian and Sopria Roberts of Burbank High, coordinated the event.
Milena Tarverdyan of Burbank High collects a big check.
Zachary Walker of Burroughs is one of the 11 scholarship recipients.
Ava Casey of Burbank High and Cade Martin of iLead Schools collect their scholarship checks.
Ava Tomlinson of JBHS and Jordan Ribas of Burbank High hold up their scholarship checks.
Joana Portillo Arleta High School is flanked by DIY Girls representatives Patricia Cruz and Miriam Maravillo.
Reese Eaton of Providence High School, with parents Richard and Lisa, will be matriculating at the University of Arizona.
Burbank Housing Corporation representatives Emily Lopez and Sylvia Moreno flank scholarship recipient Eileen Gutierrez.
Photos by David Laurell / Gain Federal Credit Union representatives Laurie Krattiger and Jasmine Moran oversee the Gaining Ground Scholarship Program.
Among notables in attendance were Darin Guggenheimer, Kathy Brenner and Peggy Pulver.
Brock Collins and Jasmine Jimenez of Gain came out in support of the scholarship recipients.
Gain interns, Aram Hovanessian and Sopria Roberts of Burbank High, coordinated the event.
Milena Tarverdyan of Burbank High collects a big check.
Zachary Walker of Burroughs is one of the 11 scholarship recipients.
Ava Casey of Burbank High and Cade Martin of iLead Schools collect their scholarship checks.
Ava Tomlinson of JBHS and Jordan Ribas of Burbank High hold up their scholarship checks.
Joana Portillo Arleta High School is flanked by DIY Girls representatives Patricia Cruz and Miriam Maravillo.
Reese Eaton of Providence High School, with parents Richard and Lisa, will be matriculating at the University of Arizona.
Burbank Housing Corporation representatives Emily Lopez and Sylvia Moreno flank scholarship recipient Eileen Gutierrez.
As recent graduates prepare to enter colleges, universities or trade schools, the Gain Federal Credit Union’s Gaining Ground Scholarship Program has done what they have been doing for many years: assist those students with the expenses of higher learning.
Representatives of the banking institution recently gathered in the Tuscany-themed private back room of Pinocchio Italian Restaurant (that many locals don’t even know exists) for a dinner to grant their 2015 scholarships. The coordinating and planning for the event was handled by Burbank High School seniors Aram Hovanessian and Sopria Roberts, who are working as interns at Gain.
Along with the recipients and their family members, the gathering included Gain’s President and CEO Darin Guggenheimer, Vice Chair of Gain’s Board of Directors Peggy Peters and Director of Business Development Brock Collins. The event also featured, Kathy Bremmer, a board-appointed member of the Committee of Credit Union Volunteers; Jasmine Jimenez, who handles Gain’s corporate training; and Laurie Krattiger and Jasmine Moran, who oversee the Gaining Ground Scholarship Program.
“Our program was established to lend a helping hand and offset education costs for students and their families,” said Moran. “This year, we are proud to be awarding 11 recipients amounts up to $2,000 and, all in all, we will be contributing $14,000 in scholarship awards.”
According to Moran, the scholarships are broken into categories: Burbank Unified School District students, Providence High School students, and those who qualify via Gain’s Independent Advantage Program, which has been taught to Burbank students since 1996. The program provides free courses for teens and young adults on good banking practices. The curriculum includes classes on the responsible use of credit, how to budget, balance a checking account, set long-term financial goals through investing, and avoid identify theft and banking fraud.
Gain also offers scholarships in conjunction with their nonprofit partners the DYI Girls, who are dedicated to helping girls become interested in technology and engineering through educational experiences and mentorship, and the Burbank Housing Corporation, which provides affordable housing and supportive services to low and moderate-income households.
Gain’s Class of 2025 scholarship recipients include Ava Casey, Milena Tarverdyan and Jordan Ribas of Burbank High School; Ava Tomlinson, Zachary Walker and Eileen Gutierrez of John Burroughs High School; Naieri Safarians of Monterey High School; Reese Eaton of Providence High School; Cade Martin of iLead Schools; Joana Portillo of Arleta High School; and Joie Rojo of Sylmar High School.
To be eligible, a recipient must be a senior or first-year college student, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for independent advantage graduates and 2.5 for general applicants, and plan to attend a college, university, community college, or an accredited vocational or technical school.
Applicants also have to provide a personal statement essay, a letter of recommendation from a teacher, school official, or academic mentor, their transcripts, and a copy of the acceptance letter and proof of enrollment from the educational institution to which they are matriculating.
While every Burbanker knows the building that stands at 1800 West Magnolia Blvd. as the home of Gain Federal Credit Union, many don’t know about the company’s history and long-term commitment to the community.
Established as the Burbank City Employees Federal Credit Union in 1940, its first decade of operation was run by volunteers who worked out of make-shift offices at the city’s first fire station and in the basement of city hall.
By 1965, the credit union had three paid employees, 1,700 members, and assets of $1.7 million. Relocating to a small West Olive Avenue building in the 1970s, they continued to expand and, by 1990, had reached $50 million in assets with more than 5,100 members. That growth demanded a larger facility and in 1995, a ribbon-cutting ceremony saw the credit union’s employees settle into their new West Magnolia Boulevard home.
In recent years, with more than $400 million in assets, the company’s name was changed to Gain Federal Credit Union to overcome the perception that membership was limited to those working for the city. Today, with 80-plus employees, Gain serves over 20,000 members and is renowned for their support of local youth and numerous community events and non-profit organizations.
Gain is now gearing up for the “Bill & Penny’s Excellent Adventure” art exhibit organized by California Creative Arts, Inc. The exhibition will be displayed at the credit union’s teller area and atrium. An opening night reception, open to the public, will take place on Aug. 16 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and the exhibit, available for viewing during business hours, will run through Sept. 12.
DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
Outlook Newspapers is a set of weekly newspapers with a vision of not only informing the communities we serve, but strengthening the relationships among its members and organizations.
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