Sunward members Alexa James and Rory Partin are The ROAMies, an Americana-Folk-Pop band with an acoustic sound. "We sing about the ups and downs in a relationship and in life," says Alexa, "about persevering through hardships and holding on to hopes and dreams." The happily married couple both grew up with music and eventually blended their unique backgrounds to create The ROAMies. The band regularly tours in the United States and Europe.
Alexa opened her account with the Credit Union when she was in high school, through her father who worked at Sandia National Laboratories. "I was starting to do some singing and began receiving a little bit of income," she says. "It was good for me to gain some practice in keeping my 'business' income separate from any ‘personal’ income." Sunward helped Alexa set up two checking accounts, one for personal use and one for her singing.
When they married, Rory became a joint owner on Alexa’s accounts at Sunward, and as their music careers grew, so did their relationship with the Credit Union. They opened a business account for The ROAMies soon after.
"Since we’re musicians, we’re not wired to be business savvy. Therefore it takes a lot of extra work and energy on our part to deal with finances and keep things organized, which is one of the reasons we love Sunward," says Alexa. "The online and mobile tools are so helpful because we’re able to bank wherever we travel."
The couple says that while many banks might offer similar services, Sunward provides something above and beyond. "Sunward provides a feeling of safety and home," Alexa says. "It feels personal and cozy. It’s a group of special people with common interests. And with Sunward we enjoy better security and business practices versus other larger national bank chains."
The ROAMies take advantage of Sunward Business Mobile to deposit checks and track finances while traveling, as well as bill payment features and direct deposit to receive concert fees and radio royalties. They also appreciate Sunward’s credit card, noting that “there aren’t weird fees and hassles, or confusing calculations, and we like the added benefits, which have allowed us to avoid additional rental car fees.”
Alexa says, "Sunward gives us a comfortable home base that we can always rely on and return to no matter where we ROAM."
Photo by Freya Goossens
