(useless factoids) Lineage of Portland area credit unions
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March 29, 2025

Lately, credit unions are all over the place. There's one even
inside Fred Meyer (OnPoint took over the spaces vacated by Chase
Bank in 2021 -- a legacy of a long-standing relationship between
Fred Meyer and former Washington Mutual Bank). For the most part,
credit unions today act like a community bank, rather than a
consumer financial cooperative for specific kinds of people.

Until about 25 to 30 years ago, every credit union had membership
eligibility connected to one's employer or some other affiliations.
Then some of them began narrowly-defined "community charters,"
opening membership to those who live, work, or worship within a
specific neighborhood, city, or county. Along with this trend, many
credit unions rebranded themselves, distancing themselves from
their origins (Rivermark Community Credit Union used to be called
Safeway Northwest Central Credit Union, as it was a credit union
for Safeway employees).

Here is a small list of the evolution of Portland-Vancouver area
credit unions, just another useless list of facts for your
enjoyment.

## OnPoint Community Credit Union

Originally: Portland Teachers' Credit Union
Membership: school teachers and employees

## Unitus Community Credit Union

Originally: Oregon Telco Credit Union, later Oregon Telco Community
Credit Union
Membership: telecommunication workers (i.e., U S West
Communications/Qwest and GTE/Verizon)

## iQ Credit Union

Originally: Clark County School Employees Credit Union
Membership: school teachers and employees

## Oregonians Credit Union

Merger of: Oregonians Federal Credit Union, Oregon Central Credit
Union, and Mountain View Credit Union (2005)
Membership: (Oregonian Federal) Employees of The Oregonian,
Standard Insurance, and others, plus anyone who lives, works, or
worships within TriMet's Fareless Square

## First Tech Federal Credit Union

Merger of: First Technology Central Credit Union (dba First Tech)
and Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union (in Palo Alto, Calif.)
(2010)
Membership (old First Tech): Employees of Intel, Tektronix, etc.

## Rivermark Community Credit Union

Merger of: Advantis Credit Union and Rivermark Community Credit
Union (2024)
In turn: Advantis Credit Union was a merger of PACE Credit Union
and Electra Central Credit Union
In turn: Electra Central Credit Union was a merger of Union Pacific
Credit Union and PGE Credit Union
In turn: Rivermark Community Credit Union was a rebrand of Safeway
Northwest Central Credit Union
Membership (PACE): City of Portland employees
Membership (Electra): Employees of Portland General Electric,
Pacific Power, TriMet, and Union Pacific Railroad
Membership (Safeway): Employees of Safeway

## Trailhead Credit Union

Originally: Northwest Resources Federal Credit Union
Membership: Employees of NW Natural (?)

## PointWest Credit Union

Originally: Multco Credit Union
Membership: Multnomah County employees

Absorbed: Hacienda Community Credit Union, which was originally
geared toward the Latino immigrant community.

## Embold Credit Union

Originally: Clackamas Federal Credit Union
Membership: All public service employees in Clackamas County,
including city, county, state, and federal agencies, private and
public schools, colleges, and the Oregon National Guard.

## TwinStar Credit Union

Merger of: TwinStar Credit Union and Northwest Community Credit
Union (2023)
In turn: TwinStar Credit Union was a rebrand of Twin County Credit
Union, which was originally Thurston County Teachers Credit Union
In turn: Northwest Community Credit Union was a rebrand of Wood
Products Credit Union
Membership (Thurston County): school teachers in Thurston County,
Washington
Membership (Wood Product): Weyerhaeuser employees

## HAPO Credit Union

Originally: Hanford Atomic Products Operations Credit Union
Membership: Employees of the Hanford nuclear site

## Forrit Credit Union

Originally: USAgencies Credit Union
Membership: Federal employees

## InRoads Credit Union

Rebrand of: St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union
Membership: Employees of St. Helens Pulp and Paper Company and the
Jaite Company; later, all Columbia County and Sauvie Island
residents

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