First Choice For Busy Professionals
 Robyn Sussel &
Kosta Tsetsekas
Vancouver
Vancity
Robyn Sussel and Kosta Tsetsekas are partners in business, marriage and parenthood. Typical of many professional couples, their biggest challenge is balancing family time with the demands of a growing business and laying the groundwork for their financial future.
Kosta, a multi-award winning designer, and Robyn, a gifted writer, are communications strategists heading up a young, high-energy team at Signals Design Group Inc. in Vancouver. Here, in this bright studio, specializing in branding packages, websites, signage, and all types of quality print projects for business and the arts, the mood matches the corporate motto: Question. Think. Create.
That same motto also applies to the couple's broader lifestyle decisions. With two lively pre-schoolers, Robyn and Kosta are focused on mid- and long-term financial goals - that is, investing to meet the cost of higher education and, down the road, their own retirement. At the same time, they also manage a day-to-day household budget, along with the more complex financial issues that face small business owners - payables, receivables, market development, employee payroll, capital equipment costs and taxes.
Local orientation is a big factor in the couple's personal and commercial banking relationships. Kosta joined Vancouver City Savings almost 20 years ago, soon after moving to the city from Toronto. Today, the couple has consolidated personal banking, business banking, RSPs and VISA accounts with the credit union, as well as investing through Credential Securities Inc., the credit union system's affiliate.
"I like the idea of putting my money to work in the community and support VanCity for its involvement in local causes," says Kosta. "Those are elements that reinforce loyalty... But banking is first and foremost a business relationship. And for us, it's essential to have easy access to a full slate of financial products plus the most advanced electronic banking services."
Vancity, the largest community-based credit union in the world, is known for technological innovation. When Vancity pioneered remote banking in the early 1990s, Kosta was among the first wave of members to adopt the new technology. Today, he does virtually all his business and family banking via Internet.
"When you're balancing priorities, you don't have time to shop and compare every item in the financial marketplace," says Robyn. "We want an institution that knows us and understands our business. That's why our relationship with VanCity works to our advantage. We get equal technology and better service than we'd get from a big national bank plus the understanding that comes from being part of the same community."
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