Our Roots and Structure

We are a state-chartered, federally-insured credit union that was organized in 1948.

Because we are owned by the people who save and borrow at the credit union (which is referred to as a cooperative), there are no stockholders to be paid. Instead of paying stockholders as banks do, our surplus earnings are returned to our members/owners in the form of better rates, fewer/lower service fees, new and enhanced products, and improved access.

Today, more than 23,000 people enjoy the benefits of credit union membership at Arsenal.

Your deposits are federally insured to at least $250,000 by NCUA, a U.S. government agency. IRAs are separately insured to at least $250,000. The "full faith and credit" of the United States Government assures that your savings are protected up to the federal insurance limits. (Click here to learn more about NCUA Share Insurance or call 1.800.755.1030, ext. 1, Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. CST with questions.)

Arsenal Credit Union is closely regulated by the Missouri Division of Credit Unions and NCUA. An independent audit of financial statements and practices is also conducted annually at the credit union. We have a four-star "Excellent" rating from Bauer Financial and are listed on the company's Recommended Credit Union Report.

All seven individuals who serve on our board of directors and all three people who serve on our supervisory committee are members of the credit union themselves. They are elected by the membership and serve without pay. Click here to read more about our volunteers.

Our credit union originally formed to serve the employees of what is now the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). While we still have a restricted-access office on its base to serve these members, over the years we have added four other branch locations throughout the St. Louis metro area and expanded our field of membership to include other select employee groups and communities. We primarily serve those who live or work in St. Louis County, the city of St. Louis, and Jefferson County. Our field of membership also includes eight ZIP codes in Franklin County, the entire counties of Madison, Monroe, Randolph and St. Clair in Illinois, 16 select employee groups and two trade unions.

The origin of our name

Small arms, artillery, gun carriages, ammunition and gunpowder used to be assembled, stored and issued in the 1800s at the worksite of NGA's current home along the banks of the Mississippi River. As a result, this site became known as the "St. Louis Arsenal," and we derived our name from that historical reference since NGA was our original sponsor group.

Our founders

Eight people (listed below) started this credit union. Their signatures appear on our "Certificate of Organization," dated August 1948.

• Edward R. Brown
• Henry J. Vogel
• Charles G. Morgan
• Constance Lennahan
• Dorothy Viehman
• Charles G. Arthur
• Alvin R. Herzog
• Jacqueline Byrns