U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union, the state’s longest-running member-owned financial institution, is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year after nine decades of serving New Mexicans.
The credit union opened Dec. 5, 1935, as Albuquerque U.S. Employees Federal Credit Union at 123 4th St. SW — the corner of 4th Street and Gold Avenue, where Amy Biehl High School now stands. It was founded one year after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Credit Union Act into law, with just 10 members, one employee and $50 in assets.
Today, U.S. Eagle operates 11 branches across Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Farmington and Santa Fe. The credit union reports more than 100,000 members and $1.4 billion in assets.
“We are thrilled to announce 90 years of serving New Mexicans where they live, work and play,” said Michael Moore, the credit union’s president and CEO. “Our credit union has evolved through the years but our mission remains the same — to create a world where people matter more than numbers.”
Moore took the helm this year, succeeding Marsha Majors, who retired after 40 years of service to the organization. Majors, who became president and CEO in 2013, made history as the first African American woman to lead a credit union with $1 billion or more in assets in the United States.
The credit union has undergone several name changes over its history, becoming U.S. New Mexico Federal Credit Union in 1990 before rebranding again as U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union in 2015. That same year, it merged with New Mexico Correctional Employees Federal Credit Union. It also acquired Presbyterian Credit Union in 1987.
To mark the anniversary, U.S. Eagle launched a “90 Days of Giving” initiative, providing select employees with $90 each to distribute to community members in need — whether a stranger at a grocery store, a struggling neighbor or a local nonprofit. The program distributed nearly $4,000 in total.
Moore said the credit union plans to expand its footprint inside and outside New Mexico, grow its membership base and invest in digital infrastructure in the years ahead.
“If the last 90 years are any indication, the future looks bright for U.S. Eagle,” Moore said.