The 272,000-member Patelco Credit Union in Alameda, Calif., opened its 41 branches to members of other credit unions more than 1.6 million times in 2010, making the $3.6 billion CU the leading credit union for acquiring shared branching transactions, according to Financial Services Centers Cooperative.

Ontario, Calif.-based FSCC recognized the credit union along with seven other leaders from its shared branching network at its recent annual shareholders meeting. 

Also recognized for outstanding service was the 148,000-member, $1.8 billion Service Credit Union in Portsmouth, N.H., as the largest shared branch deployer at overseas military bases with 16.

The 335,000-member, $3.8 billion Digital Credit Union, in Marlborough, Mass., was recognized as the largest single issuer in 2010, with more than 848,000 shared branching transactions for its members.

Meanwhile, a branch of the still-conserved Arrowhead Credit Union in San Bernardino, Calif., with 129,000 members and $700 million in assets, won recognition as the single shared branching outlet with the most transactions last year: 184,763.