1 week Ago
In 2022, Utah First Credit Union says, its employees started fielding inquiries every day, “multiple times a day,” from perplexed people who wrongly claimed to be customers at the 87-year-old cooperative. The callers, texters, emailers and branch visitors were, in fact, customers at — follow this: the former University Federal Credit Union, which had rebranded as UFirst Credit Union, and is now announcing its new name, Canyon View Credit Union. The latest change follows three years of litigation, which began when Utah First Credit Union sued UFirst Credit Union alleging trademark infringement.
“There is compelling evidence not only of likelihood of confusion, but widespread actual confusion on a daily basis among customers and potential customers,” Utah First said in a complaint filed three years ago in Utah’s federal District Court. The two longtime Utah institutions settled out of court last winter and the new name of University-then-UFirst has been unveiled quietly this week, ahead of a news conference scheduled Friday. Some customers said they were surprised by the latest change.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) said they thought an email from the new Canyon View Credit Union was a phishing scam. “You may have a new brand, but you’ve completely lost your identity,” another user, who said he has been a customer for more than 20 years, posted. “Rebranding literally as ‘Generic No-Name Credit Union’ would have had the same effect and been more creative.
” The name officially changed April 8, said Eric Richards, Canyon View’s vice president of marketing. “We want to reassure everyone that this is not fraud,” Richards said in an email to The Salt Lake Tribune. “It is a legitimate and exciting step forward.
” (Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brand confUsion Canyon View was founded as University of Utah Employees Credit Union in 1956, initially served employees and then added alumni and students, court records said. As it expanded the scope of who could join, it went through earlier name changes. In 2020, its service area was enlarged to include people who live, work, worship, attend school or volunteer in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Wasatch, Summit and Tooele counties.
But the name it was using, University Federal Credit Union (or its formal name, University First Federal Credit Union) was confusing to people who thought membership was “exclusive to students or graduates” of the U., it said in court documents. In 2021, it applied to use names that included Utah First Credit Union — which was the exact name of an even older institution.
In 1935, German immigrants who struggled to obtain loans in Salt Lake City had launched the Utah German American Federal Credit Union , which went through its own name changes to become Utah First Credit Union. University withdrew that application and said it was a mistake, according to court documents. But in 2022, it launched a rebrand to a similar name: UFirst Credit Union.
Utah First sent a cease and desist letter, according to court documents, then it sued. The letter “U” is ubiquitous in Utah and is often shorthand for the state itself, Utah First argued, making UFirst and Utah First interchangeable in the eyes of consumers. The new UFirst denied the allegations, argued the brands look nothing alike and are easy to distinguish from each other, and filed a countersuit for defamation.
UFirst claimed in court documents that Utah First CEO Darin Moody sent emails to his employees and people in the industry that defamed UFirst, and told others that “UFirst stole Utah First’s intellectual property and that UFirst does not compete fairly, among other things.” A fight for emails and more To build its case, Utah First wanted to see communications and documents shared among UFirst, its lawyers at Kirton McConkie and RedKor, the branding firm it hired. Utah First asked for documents about the conception and design of the new branding, any alternatives that were discussed, and research done into whether “UFirst” was available as a trademark.
Since the materials had been shared with RedKor, UFirst had already waived attorney-client privilege and couldn’t keep them secret, Utah First contended. UFirst tried multiple counterarguments, reasoning that RedKor was also represented by Kirton McConkie; that RedKor had essentially been working as a UFirst employee; and that RedKor and UFirst shared the same legal interest in the documents. Judge Robert J.
Shelby rejected all three points last July and ordered UFirst to turn over the communications and documents. But UFirst next argued that some of the requested email strings and documents contained “sensitive and competitive” business information, and should be shielded from Utah First for that reason. That claim “is suspiciously similar to its earlier unsuccessful argument” about attorney-client privilege, Utah First objected.
Before a judge could rule on that dispute, the two credit unions jointly asked to have the suit dismissed in November. Shelby did so, but retained jurisdiction until May 30 “for the purpose of enforcing the terms of the Settlement Agreement.” Attorneys for Utah First did not respond to a request for comment.
‘This next chapter’ The terms of the settlement agreement aren’t public. “The dispute and civil action have been settled to the parties’ mutual satisfaction,” Richards said in an email. Canyon View had changed the signs at its downtown Salt Lake City branch by Thursday — although a TRAX train spotted blocks away was still wrapped in UFirst advertising.
The credit union’s website reflects its new brand and assures readers the change is not related to a merger or buyout. In a news release published ahead of Friday’s news conference, company executives said the name “reflects the credit union’s growth” and “enables them to differentiate in the marketplace while remaining true to [their] roots at the University of Utah.” “We are excited to share this next chapter in our credit union’s journey,” said President and CEO Jack Buttars.
“This evolution is about more than just a name, it’s about commitment to our members and the communities we serve.” Note to readers • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.
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