Global Credit Union was founded in 1948 by 15 volunteers and originally chartered as the Alaskan Air Depot Federal Credit Union to provide financial services to military personnel and federal employees stationed in pre-statehood Alaska. By 1974, the credit union's membership grew to include more than 20,000 workers of the services companies of the
Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. During this same period, Global Credit Union received congressional authority to provide services to 10 of the
Alaska Native Regional Corporations under the
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The credit union entered the Pacific Northwest market in 1983 by merging with Whidbey Federal Credit Union in
Oak Harbor. Global gained a statewide community charter in Washington following the merger of two other Seattle-based credit unions in 2010. Global Credit Union expanded into California's San Bernardino County in 2009 by acquiring the High Desert Federal Credit Union of
Apple Valley, California, and the Members Own Federal Credit Union of
Victorville, California. This growth continued with the acquisition of Arrowhead Credit Union in 2010, and their branches in
Barstow,
Victorville,
Big Bear, and
Hesperia, California. In 2014, Global Credit Union opened its first Arizona branch in
Glendale. In 2015, the credit union was granted authorization by the NCUA to qualify members in underserved areas in Maricopa County. In 2020, the credit union acquired 7 branches in Arizona from
TCF Financial Corporation. On April 11, 2024, Global Credit Union acquired assets and liabilities of First Financial Northwest bank. ==References==