Michigan's United Bay Community Credit Union, primed to formally complete a merger next Tuesday of a Kalamazoo-area peer, is setting its sights on becoming a major industry player in the state in two years perhaps reaching $500 million.
That was the word Friday from the $170 million Bay City credit union as it finalizes its takeover of the $28 million Access First Federal Credit Union of Mattawan. The consolidation would enable United Community, located on Saginaw Bay on the Michigan "thumb", to grow a statewide operation, said a spokeswoman.
The merger has been in the works for more than a year and will result in a credit union with 27,000 members in six counties. Access First FCU members had approved the merger last August.
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A press release issued this week said 70% of the Access First membership had approved the deal which was preceded by a due diligence process and approval from state and federal regulators.
Under the consolidation, Rob Viland, current CEO of Access First, becomes executive vice president and chief operating officer of United Bay. Gary Klein is CEO of United Community.
The United Bay statement noted that the credit union has members in Bay, Midland, Saginaw and Arenac counties while Access First serves Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. Access First conversion operations "will begin to merge in the beginning of the second quarter, and should be completed by the fourth quarter," the statement concluded.
Beyond Access First, the United Bay spokeswoman stressed there are no immediate merger deals under way to be announced "but we are looking at several opportunities."
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