Skip to main content

Firefighters First Credit Union Announces Conversion to Federal TIP Charter

Los Angeles, CA – April 25, 2017 –, Firefighters First Credit Union (Firefighters First) announced that it has received regulatory and member approvals to convert to a federal Trade, Industry and Professional (TIP) charter serving the fire community, effective April 18, 2017. This is the next step in its evolution to better serve its fire family members.

The move from a California state charter to a federal TIP charter enables Firefighters First to serve the financial needs of its 3,500 members who have moved outside the state, as well as members who decide to move, retire, start a business or buy a home anywhere in the country. This strategic decision also provides Firefighters First with the ability to offer products and services to new fire partners, focusing on areas that may not have a local fire credit union in their community.

“As part of our commitment to our members, we are continually looking for new and better ways to support our fire families. The Firefighters First Board and leadership spent many years developing a long-term strategic plan designed to bring our members more value from their credit union and ensure we continue to thrive as a strong, sustainable organization solely dedicated to serving our fire family for many future generations,” said Firefighters First Board Chair L. Scott Gribbons. “This charter change is an important milestone in allowing us to better serve our current members wherever they live and work today, while also maintaining a healthy organization that can actively support the mutual interests of our firefighter credit union community for many years to come.”

Firefighters First Credit Union President/CEO Dixie Abramian commented, “Our first priority in moving to this new charter is serving our existing members across the country with the personal service, technologies, and outstanding rates that our fire families expect from their credit union. Beyond current members, a federal charter provides the ability to look at where it makes the most sense to offer membership in new communities. We will carefully explore these opportunities in a very controlled, measured way to ensure we best serve our members, leverage economy of scale benefits, and consider where we can add value through new partnerships. While we are taking the first step in this process, we know that, as we look at new communities to serve, we will focus on areas that do not have a local firefighter credit union, such as Arizona.”

In conjunction with its conversion to a federal credit union charter, Firefighters First will now offer federal deposit insurance through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund to its members, ensuring their funds are protected by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. We approached then Chairman Rick Metsger a few months ago to finalize our charter application. We really appreciate his interest and for accepting our invitation to come and help us celebrate this new chapter for the credit union. Thanks to the coordinated effort from Tim Oppelt and the STYSKAL, WIESE & MELCHIONE, LLP team, Firefighters First received approval from the National Credit Union Administration to convert from a California state charter to a federal TIP charter serving the fire community and received approval to be chartered for the purpose of making business loans, followed by approval by a majority vote of its membership on March 31, 2017.

About Firefighters First Credit Union
Firefighters First Credit Union was formed in 1935 as Los Angeles Firemen’s Credit Union and served firefighters throughout the state of California. In 2017 they received their federal charter and now serve the Fire Protection Industry and their families.  Firefighters First currently has assets of over $1.1 Billion and serves over 37,000 members in over 330 fire departments nationwide. Specific details on eligibility, and more information about the credit union, are available at firefightersfirstcu.org or by calling 800.231.1626.


PHOTO CAPTION:

Firefighters First CU CEO Dixie Abramian and Board Chair L. Scott Gribbons accept their new federal charter from NCUA Board Member Rick Metsger.

Comments

Post a Comment

Please no profanity or political comments.

Popular posts from this blog

World's Happiest Country

  World's Happiest Country   Finland was named the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year, the latest World Happiness Report revealed. Nordic countries—including Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—also ranked in the top 10.  Analysts attribute Finland’s joy factor to its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among factors. Afghanistan maintained its place as the world’s unhappiest country. The results were based on answers from roughly 100,000 people in 140 countries and territories. Respondents were asked to rank their life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10. Finnish respondents gave an average life satisfaction score of 7.7; Afghans answered 1.4. The US, in 23rd place, reported an average score of 6.8. Explore rankings here . The report's authors cautioned this year that social media use is driving population-level drops in reported well-being among adolescents. Young English...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Regulators Launch Broad Rewrite Of Bank Capital Rules, Eye Lower Requirements

WASHINGTON— Federal banking regulators on Thursday formally launched what could become the biggest rewrite of U.S. bank capital rules in years, unveiling a package of proposals aimed at easing and recalibrating capital requirements across the industry—moves officials say should reduce aggregate required capital for banks of all sizes and free up more capacity for lending. The Federal Reserve and FDIC both advanced the proposals at board meetings Thursday, while the OCC joined the interagency package, Law360 reported. At the center of the package is a long-awaited rewrite of the U.S. “Basel III endgame” proposal for the largest banks, along with a broader companion proposal to make risk-based capital rules more risk-sensitive for smaller and midsize banks as well. Bloomberg reported the changes are designed to relax capital treatment for large lenders, while Law360 said regulators described the package as a comprehensive overhaul intended to finish the delayed Basel implementation and r...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Average 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage At 6.22%

MCLEAN, Va.--The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage inched up this past week, averaging 6.22%, Freddie Mac reported. "The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage edged up this week to 6.22% but remains nearly half a percentage point lower than the same time last year," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist. "Potential homebuyers are poised for a more affordable spring homebuying season than last with the market experiencing improvements in purchase applications and pending home sales.” The 30-year FRM averaged 6.22% as of March 19, up from last week when it averaged 6.11%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.67%. The 15-year FRM averaged 5.54%, up from last week when it averaged 5.50%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.83%. ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with  NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional features: Annual Conference First Responder Credit Union Academy Finan...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Sunday Reading - March Madness, explained

  The Big Dance   March Madness, explained "March Madness" is the well-known name for the NCAA's annual Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, which determine national champions through a 68-team , single-elimination format. Automatic bids go to 31 conference winners, while 37 at-large selections fill the field. The high-stakes structure—where smaller "Cinderella" schools can upset powerhouses—drives huge viewership and revenue; TV and marketing rights account for roughly two-thirds of the NCAA's $1.4B income in fiscal 2024. The National Inv...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

FRB decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3‑1/2 to 3‑3/4 percent

  Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT Share Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has been little changed in recent months. Inflation remains somewhat elevated. The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated. The implications of developments in the Middle East for the U.S. economy are uncertain. The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate. In support of its goals, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3‑1/2 to 3‑3/4 percent. In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. The Committee is strongly com...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

James Hunter, Executive Director of Credit Union Development for New Orleans Firemen’s CU, knows too well how expensive it is to be poor.

  NEW ORLEANS FIREMEN’S FCU 􀀁 METAIRIE, L   A passion for empowerment James Hunter knows too well how expensive it is to be poor. It’s what he sees every day as mortgage director and executive director of credit union development for $182 million asset New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union, Metairie, La., and executive director of The Faith Fund, a nonprofit partnership that seeks to provide a financial hand-up to the undeserved. It’s what inspires him to come to work every day and drives his passion of empowering people and setting them on the path to financial security. “Too many people are too far away from the starting line,” Hunter says. “Payday loans are a big business in Louisiana. Exorbitant fees and interest from payday loans drain more than a quarter of a billion dollars a year. Baton Rouge supports one of the top three pay-day loan markets in the U.S.” The Faith Fund was formed to counteract that. It’s a unique cooperative relationship between like-minded busi...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Sunday Reading - How were the National Parks started?

  America's 'Best Idea'       How were the National Parks started? America's National Park System includes roughly 85 million acres of US territory, equal to the size of Germany, set aside by federal law for preservation. There are 63 areas officially designated as national parks—including the Grand Canyon, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Acadia—and more than 400 additional smaller units ( see map ). In 1872, Yellowstone was established   as the first national park dedicated to public enjoyment and recreation, though its foundation also  displaced several Native American tribes . By 1916, the growing system required the creation of the National Park Service to preserve its lands for future generations. Eventually, hunting and logging were banned in the parks, though regulated extractive activity is still permitted in nati...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

A Perfect Example - What Makes Credit Unions Different from Banks!

When the government shutdown hit in October and paychecks stopped, thousands of federal employees were left wondering how to make ends meet. Credit unions across the country stepped up—but Keesler Federal Credit Union went above and beyond. No loans, no hassle—just your paycheck Instead of making members apply for emergency loans, Keesler Federal launched its Paycheck Relief Program. Revolutionary in its simplicity, it worked like this: if you were a federal employee with direct deposit at Keesler Federal, your paycheck kept coming—interest-free, fee-free, and stress-free. Each qualified member could receive up to $6,000 per pay period for as long as 90 days. No hoops, no headaches. From October 1 until the shutdown ended, Keesler Federal advanced more than 5,000 paychecks totaling $6.5 million to 1,710 members. For non-members, they even offered zero-interest loans up to $6,500 with a year to pay it back. This proactive approach meant that before the first missed paycheck, Keesler Fed...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

NCUA Board Member Rodney E. Hood Remarks before CUNA’s 2021 Governmental Affairs Conference

    Read Press Release Previewing what may become a major regulatory effort, the two Republican members of the NCUA board on Wednesday said they want to make it easier for organizations to start credit unions. “The NCUA had one new charter last year,” NCUA Board Member Rodney Hood said at CUNA’s annual Governmental Affairs Conference, which is being held virtually this year. “Only two are planned for this year. These data are, quite frankly, unacceptable. The agency can make it incredibly difficult to get a new charter. We aren’t saying chartering a credit union should be easy, but it shouldn’t feel impossible for many organizing groups.” Hood said that fellow Board Member Kyle Hauptman has been focusing on the issue since joining the board and that he supports that effort. “There has got to be an easier path for de novo credit unions,” Hauptman told those attending GAC. “I’m from Maine, and I was pleased to hear about a new credit union chartered in my home state just last ...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»