Our History
In November 1950, nine Wyandotte school employees got together and petitioned the State of Michigan for a credit union charter. This charter was granted in January 1951, and Wyandotte School Employees Credit Union was born. At that time only Wyandotte school employees, their families, and any retired persons were eligible to become members/shareholders of the credit union. Our initial location was in the basement of one of our first member's homes. Several years later the credit union moved into a building at 2907 Sixth Street in Wyandotte, near the Wyandotte Board of Education.
In 1962, Southgate School District joined our Field of Membership. In 1963, Gibraltar School District joined, and in 1964 the Grosse Ile School District joined. In 1974, the credit union became Downriver School Employee's Credit Union. After years of expansion the credit union outgrew its Wyandotte location and built its current office at 14170 Pennsylvania Road in Southgate, opening in January 1988. Since then, the Woodhaven, Riverview, Taylor, Trenton and Flat Rock school districts, along with several other private schools, like Summit Academy, have joined our Field of Membership.
With the growth of our membership, and to better serve our members, we opened a second location at 20401 Gibraltar Road in Brownstown, in November 2002. In January 2006, the Credit Union expanded its Field of Membership to now include all employees and students of school districts in Wayne and Monroe counties, and added Airport and Jefferson school districts.
On October 1, 2007, we changed our name to Education First Credit Union, a name that better reflects the nature of our membership, rather than the boundaries of our service area.
On April 1, 2010, Education First Credit Union formally joined the First Community Federal Credit Union family. The merger of the two credit unions created a financial institution with assets of nearly $500 million. During an anticipated three-month transition period, Education First rates, products and services will merge with First Community, culminating in a formal name change by July 1.
As part of this merger, the former Education First Board of Directors was dissolved, and the merged entity will be governed by the First Community board (see box). Expected to join that board is former Education First Chairman Lloyd Slinglend.
Member Commitment:
Throughout our existence, the Board of Directors, Management, and Staff of Education First Credit Union have never lost sight of the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.” Even with our merger with and into First Community, our commitment to providing our members with an excellent quality of personal service remains the focus in all decisions we make.
