America First Credit Union is a federally chartered credit union based in Ogden, Utah. In the year 2008, the company was considered as the 6th largest credit union in the United States with its total number of 457,955 members, 79 branch locations and $4.3 billion total assets. America First holds a community charter, extending memberships to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in the Salt Lake, Utah. Immediate family or the household of its current members are also eligible for membership.
America First Credit Union’s Vision
America First’s mission is to provide its members through financial services in superior quality and help them achieve financial security. AFCU’s professional managers are accountable to the quality of service as well as to the flexibility that will be given in implementing the company’s policy among its members. In this light, America First CU ensures that each of its members perceive the highest degree of excellence in every contract.
The professional marketing segment of America First Credit Union provides aggressive programs in the hope of sustaining the increase and growth of its members financial situation. The company remains financially sound and secure thanks to its good operating controls, capital reserves and liquidity which are maintained at all times. Since the company makes use of a sales oriented approach to its members, which promotes financial services and security while at the same time emphasizing human values, America First are able to successfully maintain their goals.
History of America First Credit Union
America First was founded in 1939 at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was initiated by 59 people who then shared a common focus in finding ways of processing financial resources by building their own cooperative. Through the years, the AFCU managed to provide credit unions with a more reasonable field of membership. From their humble beginnings, the company has grown into a multi-billion dollar enterprise that gives its members the financial services they require.
America First’s Services
America First Credit Union offers traditional banking services which include deposit accounts, loans (home loans, consumer loans, payday loans alternatives, student loans), and business services (credit cards, investments and insurance services that are outsourced to the CUNA Mutual group).
In terms of deposit accounts, America First serves an agreement contract with the membership and accounts offered. Much like in other banks, AFCU also serves membership eligibility, individual accounts and joints accounts.
Under joint accounts, America First Credit Union also serves the rights of survivorship, the rights of joint account owners and joint account owner liability. AFCU also offers services on Payable on Death (POD) beneficiaries as an instruction to the Credit Union payable to the owner pf the account during his lifetime. The company is also responsible for other types of accounts such as accounts for minors. Accounts for living trusts and accounts for businesses and organizations. The company basically provides banking and finance services and more.
America First Credit Union also recognizes that everyone deals with a particular financial problem from time to time. With that, the company provides financial counseling services to develop solutions to this kind of problems. These services include examinations of income and spend, establishment of workable and realistic budget and extension recommendations while settling urgent matters. Financial counseling services may be offered for free among members who feel financially shackled. America First Credit Union has a web access counseling as well as banking services that allow its members free 24-hour access.