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Our Story

Committed to members, community + giving back.

In 1949, Certified Federal Credit Union was founded in the City of Commerce, California, to serve the companies and employees affiliated with Certified Grocers. Five years later, just up the road in Arcadia, California, Vons Employees Federal Credit Union was founded to serve the employees of the Vons Grocery Company. Since then, both credit unions have seen their own share of uplifting changes and positive growth. In 2001, Vons Employees Federal Credit Union changed its public name to Vons Credit Union and expanded its field of membership to those communities surrounding its corporate headquarters in El Monte, California. This gave us the opportunity to serve the communities of South El Monte, Monrovia, Irwindale, and parts of Temple City and Arcadia.

In 2010, Certified Federal Credit Union and Vons Credit Union joined together to become the largest credit union in the western United States serving the grocery industry. Both Certified Federal Credit Union and Vons Credit Union embody the motto “Just Like a Bank, Only Better.” We offer all of the products and services you’d expect at a big bank, however, we are a not-for-profit organization that returns profits to our members. Certified Federal Credit Union is member-owned and committed to excellent service, one member at a time.

In May 2019, Certified Federal Credit Union became the parent credit union of Certified Federal and Vons Credit Union. The future will be built upon these two strong brands.

Certified Federal Credit Union membership gives you:

  • Lower loan rates, higher savings yields and fewer fees, because we return our profits to our members
  • The convenience of more than 30,000 CO-OP ATM locations across the U.S.
  • More than 5,600 CO-OP Shared Branches around the world
  • Eight convenient branch locations throughout Southern California

We are proud and honored to serve all of our members, which includes the associates and families of the following grocery retailers, and more:

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Living the credit union motto: People helping people.

From time to time, we are approached by smaller credit unions that need our assistance to ensure that their members are able to continue to enjoy their respective member benefits. In 2011, we merged in Mountain View Credit Union with assets of $2 million; in 2013, we merged in Angeles Can Credit Union with assets of $1 million; in 2018, we merged in Metropolitan Water District Credit Union with assets of $45 million; and, in 2019, we merged in Auto Club of Southern California with assets of $30 million.

A history of financial excellence.

Today, we have more than $785 million in assets, including reserves (equity) in excess of $150 million. Our credit union earns the highest rating of A from WEISS Ratings, placing our financial performance in the top 0.3% of all credit unions. In fact, we’re ranked 19th out of nearly 6,000 credit unions nationwide.  In addition, we’ve earned the top rating of 5 Stars from Bauer Financial every year for more than 28 years.  You can be sure that your money is safe and sound with Certified Federal.

A legacy of giving back.

We are extremely proud of our commitment to our members, local communities and charities. We make regular contributions to local charities and civic organizations, including Hope House, Little League, Girl Scouts and AYSO. We also proudly support Los Angeles Area Council of Scouting, the fastest growing and most ethnically diverse Council in the United States.  We are equally committed to the local community of El Monte and hold weekly fundraisers in front of the El Monte branch from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with all proceeds supporting local charities.

Our guiding philosophy and principles.

Certified Federal’s greatest assets are our people, capital and reputation. If any of these is ever diminished, the last will be the most difficult to restore. Therefore, we are guided by a philosophy that, at its heart, is imbued with Integrity, Quality, Member Satisfaction, a Strong Team and Sound Financial Principles.

Integrity  We will demonstrate our integrity by practicing the highest ethical standards and by honoring our commitments. We take personal responsibility for our actions and treat others fairly, and with trust and respect. The confidential information we receive as part of our normal member relationships is guarded at all costs.

Quality  We take great pride in the professional quality of our work and have an unwavering determination to achieve excellence in everything we do. Faced with a choice, we would rather be the best than the biggest.

Member Satisfaction  Satisfied members are essential to our success. Complete member satisfaction is achieved by understanding what the member wants and delivering it flawlessly. When we serve our members well, our own success follows.

A Strong Team  Our strength and competitive advantage has always been our people. We value the skills, strengths and perspectives of our diverse team, and foster a workplace that is challenging, rewarding and safe. For us to be successful, our people must reflect the diversity of the communities and cultures in which we operate. We participate as an integral part of the larger team that includes our sponsor, the local community and the credit union movement at large.

Sound Financial Principles  We are dedicated to complying fully with the letter – and spirit – of the laws, rules and ethical principles that govern us. Our goal must be to provide fundamental safety and soundness for our members. We ensure our success by satisfying our members and increasing member value through building our capital and attracting and retaining our best people.