Williamsport, Pa., Branch Now Part of Members 1st

A branch in Williamsport, Pa., officially transferred Aug. 3 from New Jersey’s First Harvest Federal Credit Union to Pennsylvania’s Members 1st Federal Credit Union.

First Harvest ($458 million in assets, 46,569 members as of June 30) is based near Camden, N.J., just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia and 190 miles east of the Williamsport branch it acquired in 2016 through a merger with the single-branch WAT Credit Union.

Soon after Mike Dinneen became president/CEO of First Harvest in July 2023, he began trying to find a new home for the remote branch, which he felt the credit union was not adequately supporting.

In October 2023 it found a taker in Members 1st ($7.9 billion in assets, 589,036 members), which has 60 branches and other locations in Pennsylvania, but until last Saturday, it had none in Williamsport or elsewhere in Lycoming County.

Members 1st agreed to assume all of the liabilities, assets, members at the location as well as hire its staff through a non-cash transaction the NCUA calls a “spinoff.” About 1,000 members with $14 million in share deposits are attached to the Williamsport branch.

The NCUA approved the spinoff in Feb. 12 and members approved it through an April 8 vote.

“We are excited to celebrate the opening of this new branch with the Williamsport community,” President/CEO Michael Wilson said. “As a high school alum from this region, returning to the area feels like going home, and it fills me with joy to give back to the community that helped shape me.”

“We look forward to building meaningful relationships in communities across the region and providing personalized service — from advice and support to a full suite of financial tools designed to help both our consumer and small business members live well financially,” Wilson said.

In other branch news:

• Pelican State Credit Union of Baton Rouge, La. ($749.3 million in assets, 77,432 members) announced Thursday, Aug. 8 that it had reopened its Mid City branch in Baton Rouge after a remodeling. Pelican State had 18 branches on March 31.
• Texell Credit Union of Temple, Texas ($727.4 million in assets, 51,503 members) will hold a grand opening Aug. 17 for its new West Temple branch in Temple, 70 miles north of Austin and 35 miles south of Waco. The replacement branch is housed on the first floor of Texell’s new headquarters and is less than a two-minute drive from the branch’s previous location. Texell had 10 branches on March 31, two more than a year earlier.
• Cranston Municipal Employees (CME) Credit Union of Cranston, R.I. ($81.1 million in assets, 3,174 members) has begun construction of a 2,500-square-foot branch in Cranston, just south of Providence, according to an announcement July 31, by the builder, Pariseault Builders Inc.
• Orange County’s Credit Union of Santa Ana, Calif., 35 miles east of San Francisco ($2.7 billion in assets, 144,486 members) announced Aug. 2 it has relocated its downtown Santa Ana branch.

Orange County’s CU President/CEO Kathy Jumper said the new building allows the credit union “to better expand our community reach.”

“The branch showcases our commitment to continually enhancing our services and improving accessibility for our members,” Jumper said. “This state-of-the-art facility, located in the heart of a bustling retail district, demonstrates our dedication to supporting the financial needs of the Santa Ana community.”

Orange County’s CU had 11 branches on March 31.