History of MC Federal
Our Story Through The Years
Generations of Trust and Service
Educate, Enlighten, Celebrate
MC Federal Credit Union has been serving members and communities for generations. As a local financial institution, we remain committed to building strong relationships across the region we serve. More than 13,000 people proudly say, “I belong.”
People Friends Neighbors
Helping
People
Our Roots
MC Federal Credit Union was chartered in 1954 to serve the employees of Merck & Company’s Cherokee Plant in Riverside, PA. Originally called Merck Cherokee Employees Credit Union, it began as a small financial institution focused on the needs of its workforce. Over time, the credit union expanded its reach beyond the original employer, growing into the broader community while staying true to its founding philosophy: People Helping People.
Growth and Evolution
As the credit union grew, its name and charter evolved. In the 1988, it became M-C Federal Credit Union, reflecting a broader membership. In 2014, it transitioned to a state charter and was renamed Members Choice Financial Credit Union. In 2021, the Board and Executive Team returned the credit union to a federal charter, re-establishing MC Federal Credit Union to better serve an expanding membership.
Today, MC Federal operates five branches, serving over 13,000 members across multiple counties and partnering with more than 400 Select Employee Groups. Our continued growth reflects the confidence our members have in the strength and security of our credit union.
Commitment to Community
Giving back is a core part of who we are. MC Federal is committed to supporting local programs, schools, and initiatives that help strengthen the communities we serve.
One of our most impactful programs is The Road to Financial Wellness, a financial literacy initiative providing free education to students and community members. Each class is designed to break down barriers caused by limited financial knowledge, helping participants build a solid foundation for the future.
MC Federal’s dedication to financial literacy has been recognized with:
State Level Desjardins Financial Education Award (2019, 2022, 2023)
National Level Desjardins Financial Education Award (2022, 2023)
This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to educating, enlightening, and celebrating the communities we serve.
Brian Wiktor, Chief Lending Officer, Elba Arenas, President & Chief Executive Officer, and Ashley Jones, Marketing Specialist, accept the 2023 National Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award from Jim Nussle, President and Chief Executive Officer of America’s Credit Unions.
Looking Toward the Future
MC Federal continues to grow while remaining focused on stability, service, and the financial success of our members. Our guiding principle of Educate, Enlighten, Celebrate shapes every decision, ensuring that we remain a trusted financial partner for generations to come.
To discover the credit union difference for yourself, join us and learn firsthand how MC Federal can support your financial journey.
We’ve been the best for seventy years and we’ll continue to be the best for generations to come. As a local financial institution, MC Federal Credit Union has remained committed to building relationships with local communities, organizations, and people within the region we serve. Do you belong? More than 13,000 people have answered, “I belong”.
We are proud of our history. Chartered in 1954 to serve the employees at Merck & Company’s Cherokee Plant in Riverside PA. MC Federal has grown beyond the Merck Employer group and continues to expand in surrounding communities. What was once called Merck Cherokee Employees Credit Union, then M-C Federal Credit Union, was then re-chartered in 2016 through the state and renamed Members Choice Financial Credit Union. After 5 years, the Board of Directors and Executive Team felt that a federal charter better suited the diverse and expanding membership we serve throughout Montour, Columbia, Northumberland, Snyder, Union, Schuylkill, and Lycoming Counties. In June of 2021, the conversion began to move back to a federal charter as MC Federal Credit Union.
Today MC Federal has five branches located in Danville, Bloomsburg, Lewisburg, WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital, and Mount Carmel serving over 13,000 members from over 190 employer groups and various communities. It is evident that the credit union has not hit a plateau in growth as it is still expanding opportunities for membership to better serve our communities.
Our growth is a sign of confidence in the strength and security that our members have grown to expect. In addition to peace of mind, we offer great service built upon the credit union philosophy of “people helping people”. Our corporate values drive every decision we make. This ensures consistency and congruence with our mission to positively impact the financial health and well-being to our members and the communities we serve.
Being a good corporate citizen; philanthropy is at the top of our list as we strive to partner in communities and give back to the community. Organizations like: Evangelical Community Hospital, Getting Ahead Foundation, ThinkBIG, The American Legion Post #40 Veterans Emergency Relief Fund, and many more! As a non-profit, cooperative financial institution, we pride ourselves on putting our members first in the communities we serve.
One of the strategic community efforts at MC Federal is our financial literacy program, “The Road to Financial Wellness”. We offer financial literacy materials to all of the high schools in the five counties we serve. We also offer classroom instruction. This is a significant investment we make with our financial and staff commitment, but the return is priceless. We provide education to over 1,000 students each year to help prepare them to be financially responsible. Education is at the forefront and plays an essential role to building a solid financial future. We are hoping to make a difference in the lives of students and the lives of their families by introducing financial literacy. Our financial literacy efforts have garnered national recognition. MC Federal was the recipient of the State Level Desjardins Financial Education Award in 2019, 2022 and 2023. MC Federal Credit Union was honored to received the National Desjardins Financial Education Award in 2022 and 2023.
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