ST. LOUIS -- Following news today that Anheuser-Busch Cos. and InBev have agreed to merge creating a $52 billion global brewery, Anheuser-Busch Employees' Credit Union is reassuring its 99,000 members that the financial institution will remain independent.

The combined company, to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, will become the fifth largest consumer products company in the world, according to both companies. Worldwide, Anheuser-Busch has more than 30,000 employees while InBev has 89,000 employees. All breweries are scheduled to remain open.

"Anheuser-Busch Employees' Credit Union is not a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch Companies, however we have been fortunate to express our common bond by the use of the Anheuser-Busch name," said J. David Osborn, CEO of the $991 million CU. "Our relationship -- spanning nearly 70 years -- has been in serving Anheuser-Busch Companies employees and retirees, as well as their family members and we plan to continue doing so in the future"