Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union
{{Short description|Credit union in Live Oak, Texas}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union
| logo = Randolph-Brooks_Federal_Credit_Union_(RBFCU)_logo.png
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| former_name = Randolph Federal Credit Union
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| founded = {{start date and age|1952|10|06}} in Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, United States
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| hq_location_city = Live Oak, Texas
| hq_location_country = United States
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| key_people = Mark Sekula, President/CEO
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| website = {{URL|www.rbfcu.org}}
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Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU) is a credit union headquartered in Live Oak, Texas, chartered and regulated under the authority of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). RBFCU serves more than 1 million members{{cite web|title=Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union Details|url=https://mapping.ncua.gov/CreditUnionDetails/8111|work=NCUA|publisher=NCUA|accessdate=19 March 2024}} from a network of full-service branch locations in Texas, and has more than $18 billion in assets as of March 2024. It is the largest credit union in Texas and the 10th largest credit union in the United States, based on total assets.{{cite web|title=Largest 100 Credit Unions in the U.S.|url=https://www.creditunionsonline.com/largest100creditunions.html|work=Credit Unions Online|publisher=Credit Unions Online|accessdate=19 March 2024}}
History
RBFCU was opened in September 1952 with nine members and $45 in deposits.{{cite web|title=RBFCU Timeline - The History of RBFCU|url=https://www.rbfcu.org/about-rbfcu/the-history-of-rbfcu|work=RBFCU|publisher=RBFCU|accessdate=19 March 2024}} The charter was approved on October 6, 1952, by the Bureau of Federal Credit Unions (the federal governing body at the time). In August 1959, the field of membership was amended to include Brooks Air Force Base; on October 25, 1961, the credit union name changed from Randolph Federal Credit Union to Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union.
In 1995, the credit union merged with an Austin-based institution, Central Texas Catholic Credit Union. Following this addition, the credit union established a presence in the Austin community.
Membership and organization
RBFCU's field of membership, as defined by the National Credit Union Administration, is select-group based, which means that membership is limited to individuals sharing a common bond.{{Cite web |title=The Credit Union Membership Access Act of 1998 |url=https://ncua.gov/files/letters-credit-unions/LCU1998-16.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105151730/https://www.ncua.gov/files/letters-credit-unions/LCU1998-16.pdf |archive-date=2022-11-05 |access-date=2023-08-09}} RBFCU currently offers membership to more than 4,000 select groups.{{cite web|title=RBFCU Membership|url=https://www.rbfcu.org/membership|work=RBFCU|publisher=RBFCU|accessdate=19 March 2024}} Consumers can qualify for membership through a variety of ways, including where they live, work, worship or attend school.
As a credit union, RBFCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative. It is owned by its members and governed by a volunteer board of directors,{{cite web|title=About RBFCU|url=https://www.rbfcu.org/about-rbfcu|work=RBFCU|publisher=RBFCU|accessdate=19 March 2024}} elected from its membership. RBFCU also operates several credit union service organizations.{{cite web|title=RBFCU Services|url=https://www.rbfcu.org/about-rbfcu/rbfcu-services|work=RBFCU|publisher=RBFCU|accessdate=19 March 2024}} RBFCU has a history of strong military associations stemming from their roots serving the employees and active duty Air Force employees of Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
Employees
RBFCU employs more than 2,300 people across Texas, including locations in the San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Corpus Christi areas. RBFCU has been ranked among the Texas Monthly “Best Companies to Work for in Texas,” and has also been listed as a San Antonio Express-News’ Top Workplace{{cite web|title=San Antonio metro area Top Workplaces 2023|url=https://topworkplaces.com/award/mysanantonio/2023/|work=Top Workplaces|publisher=Top Workplaces|accessdate=19 March 2024}} and as one of the San Antonio Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work.”{{cite news|last=Zorrilla|first=Jannette|title=The winners of San Antonio's Best Places to Work 2023: Extra-large category
|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2023/05/19/best-places-to-work-awards-winners-extra-large.html|accessdate=19 March 2024|newspaper=San Antonio Business Journal|date=19 May 2023}}
Mark Sekula became CEO and President of RBFCU in March 2024.{{cite news|last=McCarthy|first=Ken|title=Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union Names Next CEO|url=https://www.americanbanker.com/creditunions/news/randolph-brooks-federal-credit-union-names-next-ceo|access-date=19 March 2024|newspaper=American Banker|date=30 November 2023}}
Services
RBFCU offers many products and services in common with other financial institutions, including savings accounts, checking accounts, loan products and mobile technology. RBFCU was among the first financial institutions in the United States to release a remote deposit platform that allowed members to make deposits from their mobile devices.{{cite news|last=Schliesinger|first=Carole|title=San Antonio Credit Union is Unveiling Smart Phone Deposit Service|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/10/19/story2.html?page=all|accessdate=25 February 2013|newspaper=San Antonio Business Journal|date=19 October 2009}}
RBFCU also offers a low-interest credit card option, along with a rewards credit card that offers 2% cash back on credit card purchases for both consumer and business members.{{cite web|title=Cash Back and Low Rate Personal and Business Credit Cards|url=https://www.rbfcu.org/loans/credit-cards|work=RBFCU|publisher=RFBCU|accessdate=19 March 2024}} RBFCU partners with Mastercard for both their debit and credit card offerings.
Competition
Several other financial services companies that specialize in serving parts of the military. The credit union competes with other military credit unions, like Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Air Force Federal Credit Union and Rally Credit Union, as well as with some large credit unions including USAA.
Corporate headquarters
In 2012, RBFCU completed the construction of an addition to its new corporate headquarters, including the Randy M. Smith Cuseum, which provides recountings of the credit union's history and heritage through multiple media, including video, multimedia, art and sculpture.{{cite news|last=Phinisee|first=Tamarind|title=Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union Plans Campus Expansion|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2010/09/13/story1.html?page=all|accessdate=25 February 2013|newspaper=San Antonio Business Journal|date=12 September 2010}} In 2018, a second addition was made to the corporate headquarters to allow space for more growth, and to expand upon employee amenity offerings such as a fitness center, café, health clinic and more.{{cite web|title=RBFCU Breaks Ground on Third Administrative Service Center
|url=https://www.rbfcu.org/news/rbfcu-breaks-ground-on-third-administrative-service-center|work=RBFCU|publisher=RFBCU|accessdate=14 November 2019}}