{{Short description|Credit union based in Washington State, U.S.}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}} {{For|the metal alloy BeCu|Beryllium copper}} {{Primary sources|date=January 2021|article}} {{Infobox company | name = Boeing Employees' Credit Union | trade_name = BECU | former_name = Fellowship Credit Union (1935–1949) | logo = Logo-of-BECU.svg | logo_size = 150px | type = Private | founded = {{start date and age|1935|12|7}} | location = Tukwila, Washington, U.S. | key_people = Beverly Anderson (CEO and president)<br /> Debra Somberg (board chairperson) | num_employees = 3,200 (2024)<ref>{{cite web|url= https://newsroom.becu.org/2025-04-29-BECUs-2024-Annual-Report-Growing-its-Commitment-to-Serving-Members-and-Communities|title=2024 Annual Report Summary |website=Becu.org|access-date=September 8, 2025}}</ref> | industry = Financial services | products = Savings; checking; consumer loans; mortgages; credit cards; online banking | website = {{url|https://becu.org/}} }}
The '''Boeing Employees' Credit Union''', doing business as '''BECU''', is an American credit union based in Tukwila, Washington, in the Seattle metropolitan area. The credit union was founded as the '''Fellowship Credit Union''' on December 7, 1935, by a group of Boeing employees and originally served employees of the company; it was renamed in 1949.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Catchpole |first1=Dan |title=BECU to close branches to teach teens money management |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/business/becu-to-close-branches-to-teach-teens-money-management/ |access-date=October 21, 2025 |work=The Everett Herald |date=October 19, 2015}}</ref><ref name="1997 growth - P-I" /> {{as of|2025|March}}, the credit union has 66 locations—primarily in the Puget Sound region of Western Washington—and 1.5 million members making it the largest credit union in Washington and fifth largest in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=The top 50 U.S. Credit Unions |url=https://www.bankrate.com/banking/biggest-credit-unions-in-america/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250908224523/https://www.bankrate.com/banking/biggest-credit-unions-in-america/ |archive-date=8 September 2025 |accessdate=8 September 2025 |work=Bankrate |date=June 17, 2025 }}</ref>
Originally, BECU was only open to current Boeing employees; they were required to close their BECU accounts once they left the company.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Burchard |first1=Boyd |title=Boeing credit union healthy |work=The Seattle Times |date=October 7, 1971 |page=D8}}</ref> This also reflected on its shareholders; it had 49,280 shareholders in 1962, with all of them Boeing employees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hoffman |first1=Fergus |title=Boeing Credit Union Big Concern |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=August 30, 1962 |page=36}}</ref> As this left the credit union vulnerable to employment downturns at Boeing, it began expanding its membership field in 1968, when retirees were allowed to keep their accounts; membership was extended to immediate family members of current Boeing workers in 1973, while former employees were allowed to retain their accounts in 1977.<ref name="1997 growth - P-I">{{cite news |last1=Virgin |first1=Bill |title=Loyalty drives Boeing credit union |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=March 31, 1997 |page=B4}}</ref> BECU expanded its definition of eligible family members and the privileges they enjoyed in the early 1980s; by 1997, it had also opened membership to employees of the Museum of Flight.<ref name="1997 growth - P-I"/> In 2002, membership was opened to those who live, work, or go to school in Washington state or certain Oregon or Idaho counties, leading the credit union to discontinue regular use of its full name.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Virgin |first1=Bill |title=Boeing credit union adapts as airline industry slumps |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/boeing-credit-union-adapts-as-airline-industry-1101556.php |access-date=October 20, 2025 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=November 21, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Engleman |first=Eric |date=October 3, 2004 |title=State's largest credit union grows by distancing itself from Boeing name |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2004/10/04/focus1.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |url-access=subscription |accessdate=June 24, 2024}}</ref> As of December 2024, BECU had over $29.4 billion in assets and over 1.5 million members.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 29, 2025 |title=BECU’s 2024 Annual Report: Growing its Commitment to Serving Members and Communities |url=https://newsroom.becu.org/2025-04-29-BECUs-2024-Annual-Report-Growing-its-Commitment-to-Serving-Members-and-Communities |access-date=September 21, 2025 |website=BECU |language=en}}</ref> Beverly Anderson is the current president and CEO.<ref>{{cite web|title=Executive Management Team|url=http://www.becu.org/who-is/executives.aspx|work=BECU|accessdate=May 21, 2014}}</ref>
On November 2, 2017, BECU changed its logo, replacing the 'cursive E' logo that had been used by the organization since the late 1980s, with a sans-serif logo.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/washingtons-becu-updates-logo-but-sticks-with-its-name/|title=Washington's BECU updates logo but sticks with its name|date=November 2, 2017|newspaper=The Seattle Times|accessdate=January 4, 2019}}</ref>
In 2025, it was announced that BECU will merge with SAFE Credit Union, headquartered in Folsom, California. The two credit unions will operate independently before fully combining by early 2027<ref>{{Cite web |title=BECU and SAFE Credit Union To Combine |url=https://www.becu.org/blog/becu-and-safe-credit-union-to-combine |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=BECU |language=en}}</ref>
==Locations==
BECU has over 60 locations throughout the Puget Sound region, three locations in Spokane, and two branches in North Charleston, South Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.becu.org/news/2017/Feb/press-release/becu-expands-financial-services-in-eastern-washington-with-north-spokane-location|title=BECU Expands Financial Services in Eastern Washington with North Spokane Location|website=BECU|language=en|access-date=September 20, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=You Spoke. We Listened. The Best Member Ideas of 2016. |url=https://www.becu.org/news/2017/Jan/latest-news/best-member-ideas-of-2016|website=BECU|language=en|accessdate=September 6, 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official|https://www.becu.org}} * {{ProPublicaNonprofitExplorer|910219435|Credit Unions In The State Of Washington}}
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Category:Credit unions based in Washington (state) Boeing Employees' Credit Union Category:1935 establishments in Washington (state) Category:Banks established in 1935 Category:Companies based in Tukwila, Washington Category:Privately held companies based in Washington (state)
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