Goldenwest Credit Union (Company)

The history and organization of Goldenwest Credit Union goes back to the 1930s as the tenacious people of Ogden, Utah were rebounding from the Great Depression. Mr. Volta D. Perry, a car inspector for the Ogden Railway and Depot Company, learned of the Federal Credit Union Act of 1934 by the United States Congress. His investigation of this Act led to the organization of the Ogden Railway and Depot Company Employees Federal Credit Union on May 13, 1936. On the organizational date, assets were recorded at $10.50. Mr. Karl S. Little, known as Utah’s “Mr. Credit Union”, is recorded as the founder of the Ogden Railway and Depot Company Employees Federal Credit Union. In addition to Mr. Little, the following individuals were the original organizers of what is known today as Goldenwest Credit Union: Volta D. Perry, Irving L. Christensen, Albert R. Sessions, Elbert J. Stephenson, John K. Van Woerkom, Alvin W. Foley and William H. Christensen.

In 1940, the organization’s name was updated to Ogden Railway Employees Federal Credit Union to be more representative of its growing membership. With the expansion of its’ field of membership beyond the railroad industry, in 1984 the organization’s name was changed to Goldenwest Credit Union. The Credit Union’s headquarters remain close to its roots in the Ogden, Utah area. As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, Goldenwest is owned by its 150,000+ members. The $2.3 billion Credit Union has 43 branches spanning Utah from Logan to St George, including the USU Credit Union division in northern Utah. Goldenwest exists to serve and empower our members so they can achieve financial success in their families, businesses, and communities. As an organization, we set strategic objectives for the Credit Union's strength so that we may be a viable resource for our membership. Bauer Financial, the leading ratings provider for banks and credit unions, ranks Goldenwest among the strongest credit unions in the nation. Goldenwest is consistently rated with five stars for "Sustained Superiority Status" in the categories of capital adequacy, asset quality and stability.