Three Credit Unions Join the Council as New Members

By Guy Gregory
MCDC Communications Specialist

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We are pleased to announce that Ravalli County Federal Credit Union (Hamilton), Park Side Credit Union (Whitefish), and Missoula Federal Credit Union have joined the Montana Council of Cooperatives.  The addition of these well-established Montana credit unions brings to 85 the number of member cooperatives from all industry sectors.

Park Side Credit Union first formed in 1965 as Whitefish Great Northern Federal Credit Union.  It served employees and their families of the legacy railroad line that shared its name.  The credit union grew following the Burlington Northern railroad merger and over the years, it incorporated additional Flathead-area credit unions into its membership base to become Park Side CU.  They now serve a membership living across 11 counties from the Flathead Valley to Missoula.

Missoula Federal Credit Union has been firmly established in the Montana’s Garden City since 1956.  It started out as a small financial cooperative serving the local police.  Missoula FCU later merged with the University of Montana and Northern Pacific Credit Unions to become the one of the state’s largest credit unions.  Today, Missoula FCU serves a growing membership spread across 20 western Montana counties.

Ravalli County Federal Credit Union first opened for business in Hamilton over 60 years ago as Ravalli County Federal Employees Credit Union Association.  It first served employees of the Rocky Mountain Lab and U.S. Forest Service.  Membership grew over the years to include all county and city employees, certain school districts and employees of local businesses.  The credit union gained a community charter in 2002 that opened up membership for all people who live, work, worship or recreate in Ravalli County and their family members.