By Willow (willowashmaple.sbs, formerly of willowashmaple.xyz)
March 29, 2025
Lately, credit unions are all over the place. There's one even inside Fred Meyer (OnPoint took over the spaces vacated by Chase Bank in 2021 -- a legacy of a long-standing relationship between Fred Meyer and former Washington Mutual Bank). For the most part, credit unions today act like a community bank, rather than a consumer financial cooperative for specific kinds of people.
Until about 25 to 30 years ago, every credit union had membership eligibility connected to one's employer or some other affiliations. Then some of them began narrowly-defined "community charters," opening membership to those who live, work, or worship within a specific neighborhood, city, or county. Along with this trend, many credit unions rebranded themselves, distancing themselves from their origins (Rivermark Community Credit Union used to be called Safeway Northwest Central Credit Union, as it was a credit union for Safeway employees).
Here is a small list of the evolution of Portland-Vancouver area credit unions, just another useless list of facts for your enjoyment.
Originally: Portland Teachers' Credit Union
Membership: school teachers and employees
Originally: Oregon Telco Credit Union, later Oregon Telco Community Credit Union
Membership: telecommunication workers (i.e., U S West Communications/Qwest and GTE/Verizon)
Originally: Clark County School Employees Credit Union
Membership: school teachers and employees
Merger of: Oregonians Federal Credit Union, Oregon Central Credit Union, and Mountain View Credit Union (2005)
Membership: (Oregonian Federal) Employees of The Oregonian, Standard Insurance, and others, plus anyone who lives, works, or worships within TriMet's Fareless Square
Merger of: First Technology Central Credit Union (dba First Tech) and Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union (in Palo Alto, Calif.) (2010)
Membership (old First Tech): Employees of Intel, Tektronix, etc.
Merger of: Advantis Credit Union and Rivermark Community Credit Union (2024)
In turn: Advantis Credit Union was a merger of PACE Credit Union and Electra Central Credit Union
In turn: Electra Central Credit Union was a merger of Union Pacific Credit Union and PGE Credit Union
In turn: Rivermark Community Credit Union was a rebrand of Safeway Northwest Central Credit Union
Membership (PACE): City of Portland employees
Membership (Electra): Employees of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, TriMet, and Union Pacific Railroad
Membership (Safeway): Employees of Safeway
Originally: Clackamas Federal Credit Union
Membership: All public service employees in Clackamas County, including city, county, state, and federal agencies, private and public schools, colleges, and the Oregon National Guard.
Merger of: TwinStar Credit Union and Northwest Community Credit Union (2023)
In turn: TwinStar Credit Union was a rebrand of Twin County Credit Union, which was originally Thurston County Teachers Credit Union
In turn: Northwest Community Credit Union was a rebrand of Wood Products Credit Union
Membership (Thurston County): school teachers in Thurston County, Washington
Membership (Wood Product): Weyerhaeuser employees
Originally: Hanford Atomic Products Operations Credit Union
Membership: Employees of the Hanford nuclear site
Originally: USAgencies Credit Union
Membership: Federal employees
Rebrand of: St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union
Membership: Employees of St. Helens Pulp and Paper Company and the Jaite Company; later, all Columbia County and Sauvie Island residents
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