United Federal Credit Union
| Company type | Credit union |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | 1949 |
| Headquarters | St. Joseph, Michigan, United States |
Area served | Michigan, Ohio, Nevada, North Carolina, Arkansas, Indiana, Pennsylvania |
Key people | Terry O'Rourke (President/CEO) |
| Services | Savings; Checking; Consumer Loans; Mortgages; Credit cards; Investments; Insurance; Business Services |
| Total assets | $4.0B (2024) |
Number of employees | 749 full-time; 10 part-time |
| Website | unitedfcu.com |
United Federal Credit Union (UFCU) is a federally chartered credit union based in St. Joseph, Michigan. Established in 1949, UFCU currently serves more than 190,000 members nationwide, including all 50 states and the District of Columbia, managing assets that exceed $4.0 billion as of October 2025. The institution maintains 39 branches spread across seven states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas. UFCU provides an extensive range of financial solutions such as checking and savings accounts; loans for automobiles, recreational vehicles, and boats; credit cards; mortgages alongside construction and lot loans; home equity loans and lines of credit; as well as business-oriented accounts, loans, and credit services.
History
The origins of United Federal Credit Union date back to the late 1930s and 1940s with the formation of the Nineteen Hundred Employee Credit Union (NHECU) and Buchanan Clark Employee Credit Union (BCECU), which catered to employees affiliated with companies that eventually became Whirlpool Corporation and Clark Equipment Company. NHECU was officially founded in 1949, initially operated by eight employees volunteering to manage transactions. Following the transformation of Nineteen Hundred Corporation into Whirlpool Corporation in 1950, the credit union was renamed Whirlpool Employee Federal Credit Union (WEFCU).
By the mid-1950s, WEFCU's assets had grown to $1 million, doubling to $2 million three years later and continuing to expand robustly throughout the early 1960s. In 1963, WEFCU relocated to a new facility in St. Joseph, Michigan. Meanwhile, BCECU transitioned into Clark Credit Union and subsequently Clark Federal Credit Union by 1969. Between 1963 and 1978, WEFCU experienced substantial growth—assets exceeded $30 million with close to 16,000 members supported by a staff of 27—leading to a move to South State Street in St. Joseph.
Beginning in 1980, WEFCU merged with credit unions serving Whirlpool subsidiaries located in Marion, Ohio, and Fort Smith, Arkansas. By 1987, Clark Federal Credit Union had amassed $50 million in assets and rebranded as United Federal Credit Union (UFCU), while WEFCU adopted the name Whirlpool Community Federal Credit Union (WCFCU). WCFCU underwent another name change in 1992 to become First Resource Federal Credit Union (FRFCU). Both FRFCU and UFCU invested in new corporate headquarters during the 1990s situated in St. Joseph and Buchanan, Michigan respectively.
Growth continued with a new branch opening in Holland, Michigan in 2000. In 2006, FRFCU merged into UFCU; all branches consolidated under the UFCU name with headquarters remaining in St. Joseph under the FRFCU charter.
In 2009, UFCU expanded by acquiring Clearstar Financial Credit Union based in Reno, Nevada. The following year marked a significant milestone when UFCU purchased Griffith Savings Bank in Griffith, Indiana—the first instance of a federally chartered credit union acquiring a bank. By 2012, total assets had reached $1.5 billion accompanied by plans to enlarge corporate headquarters.
A merger proposal with Lake Michigan Credit Union announced in October 2015 did not come to fruition.
In December 2020, United Federal Credit Union moved its headquarters into a refurbished former Whirlpool corporate facility located at 150 Hilltop Road in St. Joseph.
During 2021, UFCU further expanded by acquiring a Springdale, Arkansas branch from Truity Credit Union along with Edgewater Bank situated in St. Joseph.
In 2024, United launched a new branch in Minden, Nevada and finalized its merger with GOLD Credit Union based in Allentown, Pennsylvania on April 1. The credit union also enhanced its presence in Northern Nevada by opening a Fernley branch in April 2025.
Timeline
| 1930s | • 1937 – Establishment of Buchanan Clark Employee Credit Union (BCECU) | |
| 1940s | • 1949 – Formation of Nineteen Hundred Employee Credit Union (NHECU) | |
| 1950s | • 1950 – NHECU renamed to Whirlpool Employee Federal Credit Union (WEFCU)
• 1955 – WEFCU's assets reach $1 million • 1958 – WEFCU assets double to $2 million |
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| 1960s | • 1962 – WEFCU constructs its first independent building
• 1963 – WEFCU assets grow to $4.5 million • 1969 – Buchanan Clark Employee Credit Union changes name to Clark Credit Union |
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| 1970s | • 1972 – Clark Credit Union becomes Clark Federal Credit Union (CFCU)
• 1978 – WEFCU's assets increase to $30.2 million |
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| 1980s | • 1980 – Marion Whirlpool Employee Credit Union merges into WEFCU
• 1981 – Whirlpool Employee Credit Union in Fort Smith, Arkansas integrates with WEFCU • 1987 – WEFCU rebrands as Whirlpool Community Federal Credit Union (WCFCU) • 1987 – CFCU achieves $50 million in assets and is renamed United Federal Credit Union (UFCU) |
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| 1990s | • 1991 – WCFCU adopts new name: First Resource Federal Credit Union (FRFCU)
• 1992 – FRFCU assets reach $140 million; UFCU assets total $75 million • 1993 – FRFCU inaugurates new headquarters in St. Joseph, Michigan • 1995 – UFCU attains $100 million in assets with a membership of 21,000 • 1996 – UFCU establishes a new corporate office in Buchanan, Michigan • 1999 – Lakeland Credit Union merges with FRFCU |
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| 2000s | • 2001 – Lake View Credit Union merges into UFCU
• 2002 – Gast Employee Credit Union joins UFCU via merger • 2003 – Marion Federal Credit Union merges with FRFCU • 2006 – UFCU merges into FRFCU, adopting the United Federal Credit Union name for the combined organization • 2009 – UFCU acquires Clearstar Financial Credit Union located in Reno, Nevada |
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| 2010s | • 2010 – UFCU's membership surpasses the 100,000 mark
• 2011 – UFCU purchases Griffith Savings Bank, becoming the first credit union to acquire a bank • 2012 – Assets reach $1.5 billion with a membership of 117,000; announces plans for headquarters expansion • 2013 – Awarded Michigan Credit Union League Outstanding Credit Union of the Year and National Federal Credit Union of the Year honors • 2015 – Opens branch in Springdale, Arkansas • 2016 – Assets grow to $2 billion with membership at 150,000; opens branches in Carson City, Nevada and Asheville, North Carolina • 2018 – Launches branches in South Bend/Mishawaka, Indiana • 2019 – Opens additional branches in Springdale and Rogers, Arkansas, as well as Granger and Mishawaka, Indiana |
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| 2020s | • 2020 – Assets reach $3 billion with a membership of 177,000; unveils new Corporate Headquarters (Team United HQ) in St. Joseph, Michigan and opens second branch in Hendersonville, North Carolina
• 2021 – Acquires Springdale, Arkansas branch from Truity Credit Union and Edgewater Bank in Southwest Michigan • 2024 – Opens branch in Minden, Nevada and completes merger with GOLD Credit Union based in Allentown, Pennsylvania • 2025 – Plans underway to open a branch in Fernley, Nevada |
Products and services
United Federal Credit Union provides a diverse selection of financial products and services tailored for both personal and commercial clients. Individual members have access to checking accounts, multiple savings vehicles such as IRAs and HSAs, as well as mortgage, auto, and home equity loans. Additionally, lines of credit are available to assist with debt consolidation, alongside investment advisory services. UFCU also offers a Member Assistance Program designed to aid in managing debt effectively.
For business clients, UFCU offers lending options, business checking accounts, cash management tools, payroll processing, and merchant service solutions.