Pictured: Sunward member Dale Marsh. Photo by Norman Johnson.
Dale Marsh has seen a lot of changes during his years as a Sandian and Sunward member.
A custodian with the Labs for 36 years, he now uses more sophisticated tools, specialized cleaning solutions, and a system for tracking materials. And rules and procedures for working in secure laboratories and vaults change as technology advances.
A 33-year member of Sunward, Dale visits the Kirtland branch every payday. He’s gotten to know a lot of Sunward employees, and he says the staff is consistently supportive. “They’re kind of like family,” says Dale, whose father is also a Credit Union member and had worked at the Labs.
Dale keeps track of his Sunward family, noting that former Branch Manager Nathaniel Armendariz moved to a position at Sunward’s main branch.
Current Kirtland Branch Manager John Granato, he says, is very friendly, as is the rest of the staff. “Samawi [Miller] helps me balance my checkbook and explains why a check might be returned,” Dale says. “They’ve been helping me with that for about 20 years.” He has savings and checking accounts and a credit card with Sunward; he paid off his most recent auto loan a couple of years ago.
When Dale retires in the next few years, he’ll spend some of his free time traveling. Every other year Dale takes part in a mission trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand with his church; he made his fourth trip in 2017. They prepare by learning a song in Thai and English and have the opportunity to visit with refugees and children in orphanages – the most rewarding part, he says.
