The year was 1935; America was still recovering from the effects of the Great Depression. Credit union organizers all over the country had been working for more than a dozen years to spread the word to average workers that they could take more control of their financial lives by forming a credit union.
Forty employees of the Duquesne Works mill of U.S. Steel saw the potential in this concept. After much discussion and work, they pooled $240 of their savings and applied to the federal government for a credit union charter.
Their goal was to create a financial institution that they would own, a place where they could save and make small loans to each other. They received approval of their charter request and began operations on June 10, 1936.
By the end of the first year, the credit union had grown to 630 members and held nearly $15,000 in assets. Your membership helps us to continue this tradition of service to the Mon-Yough area.
Our Focus Is Our Community
Unlike many other financial services providers in our area, Century Heritage is focused solely on serving the Mon-Yough and Turtle Creek Valleys. We are not a division of some out-of-state conglomerate. We are a financial cooperative owned by and operated for the people in our area.
This focus has enabled Century Heritage to grow into the largest, locally-owned financial institution based in the Mon Valley. Since our staff, management and directors all live, work and worship here, we have a personal stake in the future of our area. We like to say that big banks have branches, but we have roots.
Our Difference Is In Our Structure
Century Heritage is a not-for-profit and member-owned financial cooperative. This means any earnings in excess of what is necessary to cover operating expenses or to fund required reserves is returned to our members.
Other types of financial institutions have to meet the earnings expectations of their stockholders, sometimes at the expense of their customers. At Century Heritage, those two groups of people are blended into one - you, the member/owners! Our only purpose is to help our members reach their financial goals.