Celebrating 80 Years of Service and Community

Tennessee Members 1st Federal Credit Union is celebrating 80 years of serving its members and community with a yearlong anniversary celebration, 80 Years, One Community.

TN Members 1st opened its doors on May 15, 1946, as Oak Ridge Government Employees Federal Credit Union. From a single branch inside the Department of Energy building and a handful of members, the credit union began serving a newly established Oak Ridge community still closely connected to its Manhattan Project roots.

Over the eight decades that followed, the credit union grew and changed alongside the community it served. It surpassed $1 million in assets in 1963, introduced online data processing in 1975, began offering credit cards in 1981, expanded its Oak Ridge location, added ATM and home banking services, opened a Knoxville branch, and eventually became Tennessee Members 1st Federal Credit Union. Today, members have access to two branch locations, digital banking, a mobile app, automated audio access, and the CO-OP Shared Branching Network nationwide.

While the credit union’s name, technology, services, and reach have evolved, its 80th anniversary celebration is centered on something that has remained constant: the people who have been part of its story.

“Eighty years gives us a lot of history to look back on, but what stands out most is how many people have been part of that history,” said Richelle Ballenger, Vice President of Member Experience at TN Members 1st Federal Credit Union. “Our members, employees, volunteers, community partners, and neighbors have all helped shape who we are today. We wanted this anniversary to feel less like a celebration of an organization and more like a celebration of the community that has grown with us.”

Throughout the anniversary year, which continues through March 2027, TN Members 1st will share historical highlights, community activities, acts of kindness, and opportunities for members to take part in the celebration.

A central part of the anniversary is an invitation for members to share their own TN Members 1st stories. The credit union is collecting memories and experiences that reflect the many ways members have connected with TN Members 1st over the years - from first accounts and first loans to favorite memories, family traditions, financial goals, and meaningful interactions with credit union employees.

“For 80 years, our story has been written one member at a time,” Ballenger said. “We want members to see themselves in our history and know that their experiences, whether they began decades ago or just recently, are part of what makes TN Members 1st what it is today.”

Submitted stories may be featured throughout the anniversary year on the credit union’s website, social media channels, and in its branches. Members can also choose to share a photo with their submission or request that their story be shared anonymously.

The anniversary reflects both where TN Members 1st has been and where it is headed. As the credit union continues to introduce new tools, services, and opportunities for its members, the same focus on people, relationships, and community that began in 1946 remains at the center of its work.

Members and community residents can explore TN Members 1st’s history, learn more about the 80th anniversary celebration, and submit a member story at mymembersfirst.org/80.