Please stay alert for fraud during tax season: As a reminder, SELCO will never contact you requesting sensitive information, including your card number or login credentials.

What Does Credit Union Membership Mean?

Choosing a Financial Partner

When credit unions profit, so do you.

There are more than 4,500 credit unions in the United States, yet doubt continues to creep into many people's minds about whether their structure and services (including digital tools) can stand up to larger banks.

Family walking toward sunset

SELCO and other credit unions continue to gather momentum—and set themselves apart from other financial institutions—because of the concept of membership. A "member" reaps the benefits of credit unions' commitment to co-operative values (like community giving), effectively shaping the entire experience.  

“At SELCO, we’re not conflicted about who we serve—we exist exclusively for our member-owners,” said Bob Newcomb, SELCO President & CEO.

There are many benefits of being a credit union member-owner—here are a few highlights.

Safety and soundness

There’s no safer place to keep your money than with a federally insured credit union. SELCO accounts are fully insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund up to $250,000. (No American has ever lost a penny on their insured accounts at any federal insured credit union in the US.) Not only that, but our regulatory examiners rate SELCO among the strongest credit unions in the Pacific Northwest. Throughout SELCO’s nearly 90-year history—from the throes of the Great Depression to today—we’ve served our members without interruption. Helping you through financial ups and downs is our very reason for existing. You can count on that to continue.

For members, member-owned

When doing a banks vs. credit unions comparison, the fundamental difference is in who owns each. Banks are owned by investors, credit unions are owned by their members. It's that simple. When you join a credit union, a small deposit buys you a common share. With that simple transaction, you become a part-owner of your credit union, giving you access to several benefits (like access to a network of over 5,000 branch and ATM locations through Shared Branching).

Governed by members, for members

The SELCO Board of Directors oversees management and sets the strategic direction of the credit union. All members of the volunteer board are SELCO members—and the member is at the center of their decision making. This is done by remaining grounded in our roots and firm in our mission, values, and guiding principles.

A comprehensive virtual branch experience

At SELCO, we have a wide array of digital tools that allow you to set up your own virtual branch. Our digital resources are safe, secure, easy to use, and help minimize wait times. Pay your SELCO loans and other bills, deposit checks with your device’s camera, schedule phone and video appointments, and more without needing to leave the house.

We urge you to take advantage of these digital offerings.

When credit unions profit, so do you

How do members profit? A credit union's success correlates to lower fees and better interest rates for the member. Your credit union is also invested in your well-being. To that end, you can always expect great customer service and genuine advice along with helpful financial resources.

“Having been a credit union member since I was 13 years old and working at a credit union for 24 years, I would say the best thing about credit unions is the people,” said Landry Cummings, Senior Branch Manager for the Eugene branches. “We are known for our great rates on deposits and loans, but the real heart of any credit union is the staff and our members.”

As a member of a credit union, you benefit in many ways. In turn, your membership carries meaning and value that impacts your local community. In other words, you're not a customer. You're much more. 

The Latest in Offers and Features from SELCO

SELCO Steps Up Hits Its Stride

To celebrate the launch of our reimagined and expanded community involvement program, SELCO Steps Up, we spent a week spreading goodwill to the communities we serve.

Digital Banking Upgrades: Making Your Day-To-Day Even Easier

SELCO has rolled out a number of enhancements that we hope will make our members' day-to-day banking even easier.
People with arms around each other

What Does It Mean to Be a SELCO Member?

Whatever “a good life” means to you, we’re committed to helping you get there. At SELCO, you have a true advocate and partner ready to help you set and reach your financial goals.