America First Credit Union

{{Distinguish|text=America's First Federal Credit Union, a credit union in the U.S. state of Alabama}}

{{Infobox company

| name = America First Credit Union

| logo = America1st.png

| type = Credit union

| area_served = Western United States

| key_people =

| industry = Financial services

| products = Savings; checking; consumer loans; mortgages; credit cards

| assets = $11.7B USD (2020)

| subsid =

| foundation = 1939

| location = Riverdale, Utah, U.S.

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.americafirst.com/}}

}}

America First Credit Union is a federally chartered credit union headquartered in Riverdale, Utah, United States. {{As of|2023|12|post=,}} America First was the fifth largest credit union in the United States in terms of total membership and seventh largest credit union in assets in the U.S.{{cite web |date=December 31, 2023 |title=Facts and Financials |url=https://www.americafirst.com/about/company-profile/facts-and-financials.html |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=America First}}{{Cite web |title=America First Credit Union {{!}} Company Overview & News |url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/america-first-credit-union/ |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

Description

{{As of|2023|12|post=,}} America First has 124 branch locations, more than 1 million members, and has over USD 19.35 billion in assets. America First is also a member of the CO-OP Network of ATMs which provides its members free ATM access to the network's almost 30,000 ATMs nationwide.

Eligibility for membership at America First is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school, conducts business, or volunteers in any counties or cities within their field of membership{{Cite web |title=Becoming a Member - America First Credit Union |url=https://www.americafirst.com/about/membership/become-member.html |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=www.americafirst.com}} in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California.{{cite news |title=Becoming a Member |url=https://www.americafirst.com/accounts/membership/become-member.html |url-status=live |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2025-01-16}} Eligibility is also open to all those who live within a 12-mile radius of the Mesquite, Nevada, city post office and the members of the immediate family or household of an existing member or those eligible for membership, as well as owners, employees, suppliers and their employees, or associated companies and their employees involved in the food industry, an affiliated association, or select employee group in the state of Utah.{{cite news|url=https://assets.americafirst.com/iframe/select-employee-group.html|title=Select Employee Groups (SEGs) and Affiliated Associations|access-date=2012-06-10}}

History

America First Credit Union was founded on March 16, 1939.{{Cite book |last=Ellis |first=Camee |title=Images of America: Riverdale |date=2018 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-1-4671-2852-0 |location=Charleston, NC |pages=96 |language=en}} It was established at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City, Utah after 59 members of the National Federation of Federal Employees, Local No. 650, instituted the Fort Douglas Civilian Employees Credit Union.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}} On June 23, 1947, the finance office of the U.S. Army at Fort Douglas was moved to the Utah General Distribution Depot in Ogden, Utah, and the credit union moved with it and renamed itself Federal Employees Credit Union. In 1960, with the addition of the Naval Supply Depot in Clearfield, Utah, the credit union was now affiliated with five Federal Government installations, the others being the Utah General Depot, Hill Air Force Base, Fort Douglas and the Internal Revenue Service Building in Ogden, Utah. Utah-chartered credit unions began serving anyone in the state and the credit union changed its name to America First Credit Union in 1984. This is the year when the credit union opened its membership to the public.{{Cite web |last=Pugmire |first=Genelle |date=1992-07-22 |title=GROUND BROKEN FOR OREM BRANCH OF AMERICAN FIRST CREDIT UNION |url=https://www.deseret.com/1992/7/22/18995726/ground-broken-for-orem-branch-of-american-first-credit-union |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}

In 1994, it marketed residential mortgages with incentives such as no fees for first mortgage refinancing, a quarter-point reduction in the interest rate if payments were to be deducted automatically from an America First checking account, and a quarter-point reduction for mortgages of less than half the residence's appraised value.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1q4RAAAAIBAJ&pg=2427,5423413&dq=america-first-credit-union&hl=en|title=America First Credit Union Announces No-fee First Mortgage Refinancing|date=April 26, 1994|work=The Deseret News|access-date=2009-11-16}}

Beginning in 1998, a series of legal and legislative restrictions were placed on America First Credit Union's field of membership and its ability to make business loans. In 2003, America First became federally chartered to protect its membership and serve its business members. In 2004, it opened its first branch in Summit County, Utah, since the federal charter allows it to serve that county as well.{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=DSNB&d_place=DSNB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1004D3DACC71393A&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title= America First Credit Union opens first Summit branch|date=January 24, 2004 |work=The Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah)|access-date=2009-11-16}}

In 2005, it announced that it would offer Small Business Administration loans to its members.{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13774948_ITM|title=America First Credit Union.(NORTHERN) |date=July 1, 2005|work=Utah Business |access-date=2009-11-16| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091119040616/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13774948_ITM| archive-date= 19 November 2009 | url-status= live}} In 2007, the credit union, many of whose members serve in the military, hosted Operation Best Wishes.{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-158531260/america-first-cu-hosts.html|title= America First CU Hosts Operation Best Wishes.(America First Credit Union )(Brief article)|date=January 29, 2007 |work=Credit Union Journal|access-date=2009-11-16| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091119032538/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-158531260/america-first-cu-hosts.html| archive-date= 19 November 2009 | url-status= live}}

On August 12, 2009, America First acquired Las Vegas-based Community One Federal Credit Union following its closure by the National Credit Union Administration.{{Cite web |url= http://creditunionaccess.com/closure_notice_13431.htm |title= Community One FCU Closes, Members Now Served by America First FCU |publisher= Tradewind, Inc. |access-date= September 29, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110929111128/http://creditunionaccess.com/closure_notice_13431.htm |archive-date= September 29, 2011 |url-status= dead }}

In June 2018, America First announced it would be merging with the Arizona based Altier Credit Union, expanding to include Maricopa County within America First's field of membership.{{Cite web |last=Lund |first=John B |date=June 1, 2018 |title=America First and Altier Credit Unions Merge, Forming A Mutually Beneficial Partnership |url=https://news.americafirst.com/america-first-and-altier-credit-unions-merge-forming-a-mutually-beneficial-partnership/}}

In November 2019, America First announced it would be merging with the Utah County based City Center Credit Union.{{Cite web |title=City Center Credit Union |url=https://www.creditunionsonline.com/credit-union-7945.html |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=www.creditunionsonline.com |language=en}}

On March 14, 2022, America First opened its first branch in the state of New Mexico, following its approval to add several counties and cities in New Mexico to its field of membership in 2020.{{Cite web |last=Cypers |first=Nicole |date=March 14, 2022 |title=America First Credit Union Expands Into New Mexico |url=https://news.americafirst.com/america-first-credit-union-expands-into-new-mexico/}}

On June 12th, 2024, America First merged with the California-based 1st Valley Credit Union, expanding its field of membership to include San Bernardino County.{{Cite web |title=1st Valley Credit Union |url=https://www.americafirst.com/merger/1st-valley.html |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=www.americafirst.com}}

Technology

In 1999, the credit union used Novell's NetWare.{{cite news|url=http://www.zdnetasia.com/itlibrary/servers-and-server-os/0,3800009948,39256272p,00.htm |title=Novell Case Study: America First Credit Union |date=1999-11-30 |work=Novell Case Study via ZDnet Asia |access-date=2009-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118021348/http://www.zdnetasia.com/itlibrary/servers-and-server-os/0%2C3800009948%2C39256272p%2C00.htm |archive-date=18 November 2009 |url-status=dead }}

In 2001, it began to offer wireless banking to its members using technology from SensCom Inc.{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10809919_ITM|title=America First Credit Union. (SensCom Inc.)(Brief Article)|last=Cole|first=Kelleigh|date=May 1, 2001 |work=Utah Business|access-date=2009-11-16| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091119040606/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10809919_ITM| archive-date= 19 November 2009 | url-status= live}}

In 2006, it agreed to adopt Oracle Corporation's Siebel Branch Teller application to capture check information at the teller's terminal.{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25706641_ITM|title=America First Credit Union Selects Oracle's Siebel Applications For Fully Automated Teller Solution. P|date=November 14, 2006|work=Oracle Corporation press release via PR Newswire |access-date=2009-11-16| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091119035356/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25706641_ITM| archive-date= 19 November 2009 | url-status= live}}

Field of membership

America First Credit Union is approved by the National Credit Union Administration to accept members who live, work, regularly conduct business, worship, volunteer, or attend school in the following areas:

class="wikitable"
State ! Areas ! Notes
Arizona \|Counties: Maricopa, Mohave Other Areas: Page, Pima, St. Johns \|
California \|Counties: San Bernardino \|
Idaho \|Counties: Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Boise, Canyon, Caribou, Clark, Elmore, Franklin, Gem, Jefferson, Madison, Owyhee, Power \|
Nevada \|Counties: Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Storey, Washoe Other Areas: Carson City \|
New Mexico \|Counties: Bernalillo, Chaveso, De Baca, Guadalupe, Harding, Mora, Quay, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance, Valencia \|
Oregon \|Counties: Malheur \|
Utah \|Counties: Cache, Davis, Iron, Juab, Rich, Salt Lake, Utah, Washington, Weber \|Additionally, owners, employees, suppliers and their employees, or associated companies and their employees involved in the food industry, in Utah also qualify.

class="wikitable"

State

! Areas

! Notes

Arizona

|Counties: Maricopa, Mohave

Other Areas: Page, Pima, St. Johns

California

|Counties: San Bernardino

Idaho

|Counties: Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Boise, Canyon, Caribou, Clark, Elmore, Franklin, Gem, Jefferson, Madison, Owyhee, Power

Nevada

|Counties: Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Storey, Washoe

Other Areas: Carson City

New Mexico

|Counties: Bernalillo, Chaveso, De Baca, Guadalupe, Harding, Mora, Quay, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance, Valencia

Oregon

|Counties: Malheur

Utah

|Counties: Cache, Davis, Iron, Juab, Rich, Salt Lake, Utah, Washington, Weber

|Additionally, owners, employees, suppliers and their employees, or associated companies and their employees involved in the food industry, in Utah also qualify.