About Us
In 1946, TN Members 1st was Oak Ridge’s first credit union chartered by the Federal Government to service the employees of the Department of Energy. In October 2005, TN Members 1st received its community charter for Anderson, Knox, and Roane counties. This allows everyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in these counties to be eligible for membership with our credit union.
Why Should I Join a Credit Union?
Membership offers many benefits that are unique to credit unions and cannot be found at banks! The credit union legacy is a long and proud one, and as a credit union member, you can be a part of that legacy.
- Credit unions are not-for-profit. This means that decisions are made with the members in mind, not a group of stockholders.
- A credit union is a financial cooperative. Members’ resources are pooled in order to provide low-cost, low-fee products and services.
- No matter how large or small a member’s account with the credit union may be, that member has equal ownership in the credit union.
- Your membership with the credit union provides opportunities to volunteer your time serving on the Board of Directors or any one of our member-comprised committees.
- Attend and vote at the Annual Meeting.
- Contact our Member Service Department for additional details.
How Do I Join TN Members 1st?
To become a member, you must open a savings account with a minimum initial deposit of $5.00. Then, you’ll be ready to take advantage of all the benefits of credit union membership!
Are you interested in serving on our Board of Directors? We hold our Board of Directors election during our Annual Meeting. Contact the credit union for this year’s specific deadline for Board of Directors nominations.
ELIGIBILITY
Any member in good standing is eligible to run for a place on the Board. If you’re interested in getting more involved within the community and working as part of a team to help drive the mission of the credit union forward, this is the perfect opportunity! Board members meet monthly and work to guide the credit union in a number of areas including policies and budgets.
Volunteers serving on our committees and/or Board of Directors must be eligible for membership with the credit union.
A Community Development Financial Institution – or CDFI – has a mission of promoting community development while providing financial products and services to the community it serves. TN Members 1st was designated as a CDFI in 2020, making us eligible to participate in specialized programs and grant-funded initiatives.
CDFIs invest in local communities and the residents who live there by providing critically needed financing often unavailable from mainstream financial institutions. Through different strategies, each CDFI contributes to the cultivation of a healthy, stable local economy. We have always been committed to providing quality, member-based products and services to help individuals and families at any stage of their financial journey, and that doesn’t change with our designation as a CDFI. We’re here to meet the ever-growing financial needs of all people.
Check out the January edition of our Newsletter for more information on our CDFI Designation.
The CDFI designation is given and certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund to organizations that provide financial services in low-income communities and to people who lack access to mainstream banking. Click here to visit the CDFI Fund website.
Funded by the government, mycreditunion.gov is a section of the National Credit Union Administration’s (NCUA) website that consolidates important information about credit unions and includes frequently asked questions, ways to protect your finances, information about debt, and so much more.
Volunteers are an important part of the credit union and help drive our mission forward. We have several volunteer opportunities for members to participate in, including various committees and positions on our Board of Directors. We’d love to learn what area interests you or is a good fit with your experience and expertise. If you choose to complete the Volunteer Opportunity Interest Form, included in the link below, a current committee member will reach out to provide you with more information. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions about our volunteer opportunities, the duties they include or their potential time commitments!
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