First Entertainment recognized for technology innovation with CineFi; Nymbus for consulting excellence
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — First Entertainment Credit Union and Nymbus have both been named finalists in the 2026 Credit Union Times Luminaries Awards, which honor standout leadership and innovation across the credit union industry. First Entertainment is a finalist in the Innovation in Technology: Technology Project/Rollout category for launching CineFi, the first fully digital credit union built exclusively for entertainment industry professionals, in partnership with Nymbus. Nymbus is a finalist in the Consulting Excellence: Organizations category for helping credit unions turn growth strategy into live digital brands.
Since 1967, First Entertainment has served the people behind film, television and music. The credit union saw an opportunity in Atlanta, where the entertainment industry has grown rapidly but many of the professionals who power it still bank with institutions that weren’t built around their work. Through CineFi, First Entertainment is bringing financial services designed for the industry to Atlanta’s growing creative workforce. Nymbus delivered the technology, market strategy, and execution to bring the brand live, and co-developed tools that help members manage variable, freelance, and project-based income, along with a prospect portal that offers financial education before a person opens an account.
CineFi runs as a sidecar brand on the cloud-native Nymbus Banking Platform, parallel to First Entertainment’s existing systems, so the credit union entered a new market with no branches, no disruption to current operations and no core replacement. Since launch, CineFi has acquired over 1,700 members with over $61M in deposits.
“Our members build careers project by project, and CineFi gives them a credit union designed around how they actually earn,” said Stephen Owen, CEO of First Entertainment Credit Union. “Nymbus helped us move from idea to a live brand in a new market without disrupting the members we already serve. Sharing this recognition with them makes it even more meaningful.”
CineFi is one of several brands Nymbus has taken from strategy to launch through vertical banking, a growth model that helps institutions go deeper into specific communities with purpose-built digital brands. Through Nymbus Labs, the company provides market research, segmentation, brand development and go-to-market execution, then supports each brand live on its own platform.
Nymbus is also preparing its clients for AI-ready banking. In April 2026, the company launched one of the first Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers purpose-built for core banking, giving AI a single, standardized and auditable connection to core functions with role-based access controls, PII masking and full audit logging, so institutions decide which tools are enabled and where human review is required.
“Being named finalists alongside First Entertainment reflects what we set out to prove: credit unions can grow by going deeper into the communities they know best,” said Jeffery Kendall, chairman and CEO of Nymbus. “CineFi shows that the right platform and strategy, delivered together, can produce measurable results in weeks. We congratulate First Entertainment on this well-deserved recognition.”
The CU Times Luminaries Awards winners will be announced Nov. 5 at the Luminaries Awards gala in Orlando, Fla.
About Nymbus
Nymbus delivers a cloud-based, highly extensible, full-stack banking platform, empowering community banks and credit unions to accelerate their growth and market positioning. Founded in 2015, Nymbus modernizes legacy core systems that support both brick-and-mortar operations and digital-first institutions, and facilitates the launch of vertical banking strategies or subsidiary brands with a sidecar Core alternative.
The Nymbus Banking Platform solution delivers the technology, people, and processes to scale as your financial institution grows. For more information, visit nymbus.com.
About CineFi
Launched in 2026 by First Entertainment Credit Union, CineFi is the first fully digital credit union created for film industry professionals and aspiring talent in Atlanta, Ga. With more than 50 years of entertainment industry expertise, CineFi delivers a future-ready banking experience designed to simplify financial management for those who live and breathe the craft. Offering premium financial products, competitive rates, and tailored financial education, CineFi empowers filmmakers—above and below the line—to achieve long-term success. Beyond banking, CineFi is committed to strengthening the entertainment and creative community by supporting industry nonprofits, schools, organizations, festivals, and events that advance the art and business of filmmaking. Visit www.cinefi.com.
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SOURCE Nymbus
