BREA, Calif. – Churches and ministry organizations now haveanother option to turn to in their long-term investment planning.The $1.6 billion Evangelical Christian Credit Union has launchedEvangelical Christian Investment Management, LLC (ECIM), awholly-owned subsidiary that will offer investment policyformation, asset allocation analysis, and portfolio structuring forevangelical churches and ministry organizations in need oflong-term investment strategy. “The formation of ECIM was a logicalextension of ECCU's long-standing mission to provide value-addedfinancial services to evangelical organizations,” said Frank Borst,ECCU executive vice president and president of ECIM. ECIM'sbiblically-based investment management principles are designed tohelp ministries best steward the funds entrusted to their care,according to the credit union. “ECIM believes that we should seekthe best return possible, within the context of stewardship andKingdom building,” White said. “Through ECIM, we can now partnerwith ministries and provide bundled solutions that includefinancing, banking, and investing.” The CUSO actually officiallylaunched in October 2004, but discussions to form ECIM began in2003 in response to our members requesting that we considerproviding investment management services in addition to ourfinancing and cash management services, Borst said. This is notECCU's first entry into investment services. In 1991, it formedMinistry Partners Investment Corporation to offer investmentcertificates, which are backed by ECCU real estate loans. In thenearly four months that ECIM has been up and running, assets undermanagement are “under $20 million and are currently on track toexceed the CUSO's 2005 goal of $75 million,” Borst said. ECIM willserve only those organizations that meet ECCU's field ofmembership, which includes churches, ministries, and Christianschools across the nation and missionaries around the world. Borstsaid clients will typically have portfolios in excess of $1 millionalthough representatives are talking to a few organizations withassets below that number. The target market will be thoseministries in the $3 to $15 million range while discussions areunderway to explore relationships with others that have portfoliosabove that level. “Our clients are attracted to the valueproposition that offers financing, cash management and investmentservices from one institutional provider,” Borst said. “In rareinstances will we also consider managing assets from high net worthindividuals because they are closely associated with the ministrieswe serve.” While ECIM has been approached by numerous organizationsas potential partners, it chose to align with Christian FinancialProfessionals Network, a ministry organization that is headed byRon Blue, a leading author on money management and PhilanthroCorp,an authority on planned giving in the ministry market. Since ECIM'slaunch, it has focused on tapping its existing member base, Borstsaid. “We have over 2,000 evangelical organizations that aremembers, so there is a well-established pipeline of prospects thatare already enjoying the benefits of membership at ECCU,” Borstsaid. The CUSO is also gearing up to have a presence at a number ofstrategic conferences focusing on the ministry market to be heldthis year. Borst said ECIM's “wildly important goals” for this 2005are to achieve financial objectives; institutionalize the ECIMbrand; develop “excellence in process”; and find “exceptionalindividuals who exhibit extraordinary competence, aptitude, andcharacter.” With the latter, Borst said ECIM is currently lookingto fill a number of positions within the new department. “Ournumber one focus is to get the `flywheel spinning' to reference JimCollins' Good to Great,” Borst said. “We are very pleased at theexcitement that is being generated in the marketplace about ouroffer, and are overwhelmed by the number of ministries that arerequesting ECIM's counsel.” [email protected]