ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sunward Federal Credit Union has been recognized as Albuquerque’s Best Credit Union in the Albuquerque Journal Readers’ Choice Awards for the third year in a row, a reflection of continued commitment to members and communities, the credit union said.
Every year, thousands of Albuquerque Journal readers vote for the people, places, and organizations that stand out across the city. Sunward is honored to be voted by these readers as the Best Credit Union in the city — in 2024, 2025, and now again in 2026.
“We’re committed to ‘banking made better,’ an intentional focus on crafting extraordinary experiences for our members and our community,” President and CEO Steph Sherrodd said in a statement. “Your votes are a testament to our employees who deliver that level of service every day. It’s their deep commitment to one another, our members, and our communities that makes Sunward a special place.”
Alongside Best Credit Union recognition, Sunward was also named a finalist in the Mortgage Lending Firm category. Sunward’s Lending team has continued to grow, delivering personalized service and building deep relationships with members throughout Albuquerque.
Sunward has significantly invested in Albuquerque over the past three years, the credit union acquired a pair of new Albuquerque branches in March 2025 and, most recently, opened a new location in the South Valley.
Sunward’s growth in Albuquerque has since continued, with a pair of new local branches opening this fall — one on the city’s West Side, and another in Uptown, the credit union said.
Physical expansion has been matched with tangible community support. Unique initiatives like Sunpint and events like The Final Whistle Watch Party benefited local nonprofits, including Saranam and The Somos Unidos Foundation. Additionally, the annual Sunward Scholarship will support five students to pursue their educational dreams this year, the highest number of students supported yet.
These 2026 Readers’ Choice awards follow other recent recognitions of Sunward’s culture and service. Most recently, Albuquerque Business First selected Sunward as a Best Place to Work in New Mexico, a direct result of feedback from credit union employees. Sunward was also recently named as one of America’s Best Regional Credit Unions by Newsweek, alongside a pair of other local recognitions by Albuquerque the Magazine and CommunityVotes Rio Rancho.
