Milestones

Meriwest continued to serve our communities, reaching out to nearly 5,000 individuals to provide financial development and education seminars. All of these activities allowed for a better experience by our members with Meriwest.

2012 – Meriwest made several improvements to our remote and online banking that make being a Meriwest member more satisfying than ever. We introduced Bill Pay into our Mobile Banking application. We also upgraded our online banking platform for better security and ease of use, upgraded online calculators, and added links to online loan applications and lending representatives. All of these features allowed for better and easier access for our members to manage their finances on their schedule.

2012 was also a breakout year for our Responsible Financial Practices Initiative. We conducted free workshops and seminars for teens, business people, homemakers, single parents…anyone interested in learning the basics of personal finances from balancing a checkbook and creating a budget to calculating loan payments and making wise financial choices. In reaching out to over 6,000 adults and students, this program won the California Credit Union League’s “California Outreach Award” as well as the Richard Myles Johnson Foundations “Beacon Award” for outstanding youth financial education outreach.

In 2012 Meriwest funded 1,270 home loans totaling more $361 million. We continued to work with area organizations to make homeownership a reality through our partnerships with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust (HEART) of San Mateo County. Utilizing the FHLB’s IDEA, WISH, and Affordable Housing Grant programs and through San Mateo County’s HEART Opening Doors Loan program we have been able to help families of moderate means attain the dream of homeownership. 

2011 – Meriwest introduces Mobile Banking apps. Now members have anytime access to manage their accounts by using their smart phones. Adoption grows to over 10% of membership in just 6 months.

Meriwest also continued efforts to focus on Community Investment and Development. We introduced the community to financial education courses on topics of Managing Your Credit, Auto Financing, Home Buying, Investment Planning and more. In 2011, Meriwest was pleased to have reached out to nearly 5,000 in the community.

2009 – Meriwest made great strides in Community Investment and Development. We introduced "Real World Budgeting" for teens and young adults, presenting to local schools and communities, reaching over 1000 youth.

Meriwest also introduced the FLOW Account. An online electronic debit card for teens that allowed parents to set credit limits and establish spending conditions with their teens, as well as "recharge" the card as required. With the FLOW card teens could learn the value of budgeting and managing their money first hand while parents controlled the flow.

Meriwest was also recognized for its community development efforts by winning the Dora Maxwell award from the California Credit Union League, recognizing our socially responsible efforts within the community. Meriwest earned awards from two statewide credit union competitions: the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Recognition Award and the Louise Herring Credit Union Philosophy in Action Award.

In 2009, we continued to rank high in member satisfaction with 86.7% of members definitely agreeing that they feel satisfied with Meriwest and their banking experience here.

2008 – Meriwest obtained a community charter that allowed the Credit Union to provide membership to all residents of Pima County, Arizona.

2007 – Meriwest added six financial centers during the year. The credit union expanded its presence in the East Bay with a new location on Crow Canyon Road in San Ramon, and new financial centers were opened on Hillsdale Avenue and Cottle Road in San Jose. Three locations were also added through Meriwest's merger with Golden Bay Federal Credit Union: in Moffett Field, Downtown San Jose and Sunnyvale.

In addition, the merger with Golden Bay increased Meriwest's asset total to $1.3 billion and membership to 92,000.

2006 – Meriwest celebrated 45 years of service, proudly looking back at the many relationships the credit union has developed with members since 1961.

2005 – Meriwest continued its trend of strong growth and increased its assets and membership base by completing a merger with Silicon Valley Credit Union.

As a result of the merger, Meriwest surpassed $1 billion in assets and expanded its presence in the Bay Area Peninsula as 4 locations in Mountain View, Palo Alto (2), and Menlo Park were converted to Meriwest Credit Union financial centers.

2004 – Meriwest introduced free checking with free online banking and bill pay, and a new Home Banking web site adding greater online banking conveniences and the ability to transfer funds to and from other institutions.

Meriwest also prepared to launch Business Banking services to deliver a personalized banking experience to small business through dedicated business banking representatives and benefits that are scarcely offered by other financial institutions such as truly free business checking and premier business checking accounts that pay interest to all businesses.

2003 – Meriwest achieved its second consecutive year of record net income and became the second fastest growing credit union in the San Francisco Bay Area in terms of membership growth.

Meriwest opened two new financial centers in Dublin and San Mateo and merged with Oakland-based Franklin Media Credit Union expanding Meriwest's field of membership to employees and family of media related companies in Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Meriwest Mortgage became the credit union's largest asset as the result of a substantial increase in first time home buying and refinancing.

2002 – Meriwest was the only financial services institution out of more than 15,000 small to mid-size financial institutions in the country to be recognized for Customer Relationship Management excellence by the Gartner Group, the world's most prestigious industry analyst firm.

2001 – Meriwest celebrated its 40th anniversary and surpassed $750 million in assets.

2000 – Meriwest received approval to add the counties of San Mateo, San Francisco and Contra Costa to its membership base. It opened two new financial centers in North San Jose and Milpitas. 

1999 – Meriwest received approval to add Santa Clara and Alameda counties to its membership base and changed its name to Meriwest Credit Union. 

1998 – Meriwest held an election to change its charter from Federal to State which would result in significant increases in its membership-base. Its members overwhelmingly approved. That same year, Meriwest surpassed $500 million in assets.

1997 – Meriwest acquired Community Savings FCU and its Milpitas and Palo Alto branches.

1993 – Meriwest's customer service opportunities were greatly increased as the National Credit Union Administration approved expansion to Selected Employer Groups outside IBM. This resulted in Meriwest providing financial opportunities to employees of companies such as Loral, Computer Task Group, Inc., Pacific Coast Building Products, Inc., and American Gas & Technology.

1982 – Meriwest Credit Union surpassed $100 million in total assets.

1980 – Meriwest merged with Sun States Credit Union and opened offices in Los Angeles and Tucson, Arizona.

1975 – Meriwest became the Pacific IBM Employees Federal Credit Union and added seven additional states to its membership base.

1961 – Meriwest Credit Union was officially chartered as the IBM San Jose Employees Federal Credit Union to primarily serve the employees of IBM and their relatives.