Premier America
A member-owned American credit union serving consumers and communities in parts of California and Texas.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Premier America Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative established in 1957 in the United States. Unlike a shareholder-owned bank, it is owned by its members, who generally receive voting rights and elect a volunteer board of directors. This cooperative structure places the institution's emphasis on member services, savings returns, lending access, financial education, and community participation rather than distributions to external shareholders. The credit union provides consumer-oriented banking and lending services. Its main offerings include savings and checking accounts, consumer loans, mortgage lending, digital banking, mobile deposit, person-to-person transfers through Zelle, financial counseling, and access to a large surcharge-free ATM and shared-branch network. These services are intended to combine the convenience of a retail financial institution with the member-focused model traditionally associated with credit unions. Membership eligibility is centered on people who live, work, worship, or attend school in Los Angeles and Ventura counties in California and Harris County in Texas. The institution also identifies service areas such as the Santa Clarita Valley and the San Fernando Valley. Through branches, online and mobile banking, more than 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs, and thousands of shared branches, Premier America gives members access to everyday transactions across its regional footprint and nationwide cooperative networks. Premier America has expanded through a series of acquisitions and credit-union combinations. It acquired Top Premium Finance Company, a California insurance-premium-finance business, in 2008; acquired Telesis Community Credit Union in 2012; merged with NBCU Employees Federal Credit Union in 2014; and merged with Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union in 2015. These transactions broadened its membership base, capabilities, and geographic reach while preserving its identity as a credit union. Community development is represented by the Premier America Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization established in 2017. The Foundation focuses on financial education and financial wellness, especially for young people, young adults, and underserved communities. It works with schools, philanthropic organizations, community groups, and educational institutions. Its activities include financial-literacy outreach, inclusive education initiatives, capital-impact projects, food-pantry support, grocery gift-card distributions, and food drives. Premier America Credit Union covers the Foundation's salaries and administrative costs, allowing most donated funds to be directed to programs and services. Premier America's overall positioning is that of a regional, community-oriented financial cooperative offering accessible deposit products, affordable lending, digital convenience, and member education. Its identity is closely associated with the credit-union principle of people helping people: members collectively own the institution, participate in governance, and receive services designed around household financial needs rather than conventional bank shareholder priorities.
History
Premier America Credit Union was founded in 1957 and developed as a member-owned financial cooperative rather than a conventional investor-owned bank. Its operating model is based on the credit-union principle that members are both customers and owners. Eligible members can participate in governance by voting and electing a volunteer board of directors, while the institution directs its services toward household savings, borrowing, payments, and financial well-being. The credit union's service territory is concentrated in Southern California and parts of Texas. Eligibility generally extends to people who live, work, worship, or attend school in Los Angeles and Ventura counties in California and Harris County in Texas. The organization also identifies the Santa Clarita Valley and San Fernando Valley among its communities. This field of membership gives Premier America a regional identity while its cooperative ATM and shared-branch relationships provide members with broader access outside the immediate branch network. Over time, Premier America expanded through both an acquisition and several credit-union combinations. In 2008 it acquired Top Premium Finance Company, a California business specializing in insurance premium finance. In 2012 it acquired Telesis Community Credit Union. It then merged with NBCU Employees Federal Credit Union in 2014 and Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union in 2015. These transactions supported growth in membership, products, and geographic coverage and formed part of the institution's long-term scale-building strategy. Premier America's services span deposit accounts, consumer and mortgage lending, payment tools, financial counseling, and digital delivery. Members can use online and mobile banking, mobile deposit, and Zelle for person-to-person transfers. The credit union also provides access to more than 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs and more than 5,000 shared branches through cooperative networks. This combination of local membership and networked access allows Premier America to compete for everyday banking relationships while retaining the governance model of a credit union. In 2017, Premier America created the Premier America Foundation as its charitable arm. The Foundation is organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and focuses on financial education, financial wellness, and community development. Its intended beneficiaries include youth, young adults, underserved communities, and students reached through partnerships with schools, community colleges, philanthropic institutions, and local organizations. The Foundation also supports food-security work through contributions to food pantries, grocery gift-card programs, and food drives at Premier America branches. The credit union underwrites the Foundation's salaries and administrative expenses, allowing the majority of donated funds to support program delivery. Today, Premier America is positioned as a regional cooperative financial institution with a broad consumer-service offering. Its brand proposition combines member ownership, accessible savings and loan products, digital banking, community participation, and financial capability programs. The institution's historical development reflects two parallel priorities: expanding its operational platform through mergers and acquisitions, and maintaining a community-oriented mission through member governance and charitable initiatives.
- 2017
Premier America Foundation established
[1]The organization created a charitable foundation dedicated to financial education, wellness, and community development.
- 2015
Merger with Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union
[1]Premier America merged with Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union.
- 2014
Merger with NBCU Employees Federal Credit Union
[1]Premier America combined with NBCU Employees Federal Credit Union.
- 2012
Acquisition of Telesis Community Credit Union
[1]The credit union acquired Telesis Community Credit Union.
- 2008
Acquisition of Top Premium Finance Company
[1]Premier America acquired a California insurance premium finance company.
- 1957
Premier America Credit Union founded
[1]The member-owned credit union was established in the United States.
Products and positioning
A member-owned, community-oriented credit union combining regional service, cooperative governance, consumer banking, lending, digital access, and financial education.
Deposits
Savings and share accounts
Core member deposit products that support saving and establish the member relationship required by the credit-union model. These accounts are part of Premier America's broader cooperative offering and are positioned around accessible household financial services.
Deposits
Checking accounts
Everyday transaction accounts for spending, bill payment, deposits, and account access through Premier America's branch and digital channels.
Lending
Consumer loans
Personal borrowing products designed for consumer needs. They form part of Premier America's member-focused lending portfolio, alongside deposits, counseling, and other household financial services.
Lending
Mortgage loans
Residential mortgage financing for eligible members. Mortgage lending extends Premier America's role beyond everyday transaction accounts into longer-term household borrowing.
Digital banking
Online and Mobile Banking
Digital account-management services that allow members to monitor accounts and conduct banking remotely. The offering is complemented by mobile deposit and person-to-person payments through Zelle.
Access network
ATM and shared-branch access
Cooperative access services that extend member convenience beyond Premier America's own branches through a nationwide surcharge-free ATM network and shared branches.
Community programs · 2017
Premier America Foundation programs
Financial education, financial wellness, community development, and food-security initiatives delivered through the credit union's nonprofit foundation and its community partners.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Premier America Foundation community program
California · Texas
Premier America established a nonprofit platform for financial education, financial wellness, youth outreach, support for underserved communities, and community development. Later activities also included food-pantry support, grocery gift-card distributions, and food drives.
Outcome. The Foundation became the credit union's charitable and community-impact arm.
Brand decisions
2017
Create a dedicated charitable foundationStrategyBackground
Premier America sought to formalize its community and financial-empowerment work.
Action taken
The credit union established the Premier America Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Aftermath
The Foundation became a vehicle for financial education, wellness, community development, and food-security initiatives.
2015
Merge with Pacific Oaks Federal Credit UnionM&ABackground
The merger followed Premier America's earlier acquisitions and supported continued regional expansion.
Action taken
Premier America merged with Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union.
Aftermath
The combination further increased Premier America's scale and reach.
2014
Merge with NBCU Employees Federal Credit UnionM&ABackground
Premier America continued to grow through combinations with other credit unions.
Action taken
Premier America merged with NBCU Employees Federal Credit Union.
Aftermath
The merger added the other institution's member relationships and operations to Premier America.
2012
Acquire Telesis Community Credit UnionM&ABackground
The acquisition formed part of Premier America's effort to expand its credit-union platform.
Action taken
Premier America acquired Telesis Community Credit Union.
Aftermath
The combination expanded the organization's membership and operating footprint.
2008
Acquire Top Premium Finance CompanyM&ABackground
Premier America pursued expansion into insurance premium finance through the acquisition of a California company.
Action taken
The credit union acquired Top Premium Finance Company.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Premier America's financial-services activities.
Sources2 sources
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