Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union

What Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union does

Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union (ACFCU) is a federally chartered, not-for-profit financial cooperative founded in 1932, originally formed by employees of the Mead Paper Mill (Domtar) in Kingsport, Tennessee. Today it operates as a CDFI-certified, member-owned institution serving consumers and small businesses across designated counties in Tennessee (Carter, Hawkins, Sullivan, Unicoi, Washington, and Bristol), Virginia (Norton; Wise, Scott, and Washington Counties), and Kentucky (Jackson, Clinton, McCreary, Wayne). The credit union delivers a full retail banking product set — checking, savings, money market, certificates, IRAs, credit cards, and consumer loans (auto, home, motorcycle, boat/RV, personal) — plus small-business banking through Appy Business Solutions and Executive Checking, distributed across five to six branches and a digital channel stack.

Under the hood, ACFCU runs standard credit union core infrastructure with online and mobile banking, mobile check deposit, eStatements, and bill pay, augmented by third-party integrations including Zelle for P2P payments, LendingPad for direct consumer lending origination, SavvyMoney for credit-score monitoring, Cloudflare for cybersecurity, and partner-led wealth and insurance (Quality Financial Concepts/LPL Financial, TruStage) and financial counseling (GreenPath). Revenue is generated through net interest income on loans and deposits, transaction fees (overdraft, ATM, wires), and affiliate referral economics from insurance and investment partners. The cooperative is regulated by the NCUA, has no external parent or public listing, and is led by President/CEO Andrew J. Mullins III through July 31, 2026, with Paul G. Penland designated as successor.

Name

Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union

Website

https://myacfcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

Keywords

• Consumer banking services
• Credit union lending
• Mortgage and auto loans
• Deposit and savings accounts
• Community financial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Johnson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Loans: Primary revenue from interest charged on consumer loans, home loans, auto loans, credit cards, and business loans
2. Deposit Interest: Interest paid to members on savings accounts, certificates, IRAs, and money market accounts
3. Fee Income: Various fees including overdraft fees, ATM fees, wire transfer fees, and other service charges
4. Insurance Services: Referral fees from TruStage Auto and Life Insurance products offered through partnership
5. Investment Services: Revenue sharing from Quality Financial Concepts/LPL Financial investment and wealth management services referred to members

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union (ACFCU) is a federally chartered, member-owned not-for-profit financial cooperative that provides consumer and business banking products, including checking, savings, money market, certificates, IRAs, credit cards, auto loans, home loans, personal loans, motorcycle/boat/RV loans, and business loans. The credit union distributes these products through five branch locations in Tennessee and Virginia, complemented by 24/7 online and mobile banking, ATMs, and partner-referred services such as investment advisory and insurance.

Product overview

Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services through a traditional credit union model. The core offerings include personal and business deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, certificates, and IRAs), consumer and mortgage loans (auto, home, personal, motorcycle, boat/RV), credit cards, and business banking solutions. The digital banking platform provides online and mobile banking with integrated tools including bill pay, eStatements, SavvyMoney credit monitoring, and financial calculators. Supplementary services include investment services through Quality Financial Concepts/LPL Financial partnerships, TruStage insurance products, and GreenPath Financial Wellness counseling. The product portfolio is designed to serve individual members across consumer lending and deposits, with dedicated business banking products including Appy Business Solutions payment processing and Executive Checking. The credit union emphasizes community-first values as a CDFI-certified institution serving Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky since 1932.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Checking Accounts Personal transactional deposit accounts with direct deposit, debit cards, online access, and member-owned cooperative benefits, available to residents in eligible Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky counties.
• Savings Accounts Personal and business savings accounts paying competitive dividend rates, with funds federally insured by the NCUA up to $250,000.
• Money Market Accounts Tiered savings product offering up to 0.80% APY for qualified balances, designed for members seeking higher yields on larger balances with limited access.
• Term Share Certificates Fixed-term deposit certificates with rates up to 3.50% APY for 72-month terms, a 13-month special at 0.90% APY, and 18-month bump-rate certificates, requiring a minimum $1,000 deposit.
• Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts offered to members with competitive dividend rates for long-term retirement savings.
• Visa Platinum Choice Credit Card No-annual-fee Visa Platinum credit card offering competitive APRs relative to larger banks and credit unions, available to qualified members.
• Home Loans Mortgage and home financing products offering up to 100% financing and competitive rates for home purchases and refinances, processed through the LendingPad platform.
• Auto Loans Financing for new and used vehicles with rates as low as 5.55% APR, flexible terms up to 84 months, and same-day approval options for qualified members.
• Motorcycle Loans Motorcycle financing with rates from 7.00% APR and same-day pre-approvals to support quick turnaround for members.
• Boats, RVs & Toys Loans Financing for recreational vehicles including boats, RVs, jet skis, and similar items with rates from 7.00% APR and flexible terms up to 180 months.
• Personal Loans Unsecured personal loans for general needs and debt consolidation, with rates as low as 9.75% APR (10.75% for consolidation) over flexible terms.
• Appy Assist Loans Small personal loan product designed to help members with short-term financial needs, providing accessible lending options.
• Business Loans Commercial lending products including business lines of credit, commercial real estate loans, and working capital financing for local small businesses.
• Business Checking and Savings Accounts Business checking and savings accounts offered to local small businesses in the tri-state service area.
• Appy Business Solutions Business payment solutions and merchant services enabling business members to accept payments and manage business finances.
• Financial Planning and Investment Services Investment and wealth management services provided through partnership with Quality Financial Concepts and LPL Financial, including retirement planning, portfolio analysis, and professional wealth management, with securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC.
• TruStage Auto and Life Insurance Auto and life insurance products offered to members through a partnership with TruStage Insurance Agency, providing member discounts on car insurance and affordable life insurance options.
• GreenPath Financial Counseling Free, confidential financial counseling, debt management programs, student loan counseling, bankruptcy support, and housing services provided through partnership with GreenPath Financial Wellness.
• Online Banking & Bill Pay Digital banking platform providing 24/7 account access, loan applications, transfers, bill pay, eStatements, and account management through a web browser, protected by Cloudflare security products.
• Mobile Banking App
• SavvyMoney Credit Score Monitoring Credit score monitoring tool integrated with online and mobile banking that provides members with free access to credit scores, financial checkups, and financial wellness assessment.
• Virtual Branch / Touch Tone Teller Phone-based banking service providing account information and transactions through an automated phone system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 out of 91 credit unions for Consumer Loan Experience
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Quality Financial Concepts (QFC)coreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing alliance providing members with expert portfolio analysis, investment strategies, retirement planning, and wealth management services through QFC advisor Shane Smith, CFA CFP. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC.
• TruStage InsurancecoreOthersPartnership offering TruStage Auto and Life Insurance products to ACFCU members. Provides discounts on car insurance and affordable life insurance options through TruStage Insurance Agency.
• GreenPath Financial WellnesscoreOthersNational nonprofit partnership providing free and confidential financial counseling, debt management programs, student loan counseling, bankruptcy support, and housing services. GreenPath counselors help members with debt payoff and credit improvement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eastman Credit Union: Headquartered in Kingsport, TN (same city as ACFCU) and serving Eastman Chemical employees and surrounding communities. Directly comparable in terms of regional charter, employer-origin heritage, multi-branch footprint, and member-focused services - making it ACFCU's closest local competitor.
• ORNL Federal Credit Union: Tennessee-based federal credit union (Oak Ridge) with a comparable community/sponsor charter, full suite of consumer and mortgage lending, member-owned cooperative model, and multi-branch presence. Serves a similar mid-sized East Tennessee member base.
• Y-12 Federal Credit Union: Federally chartered Tennessee credit union serving the Oak Ridge/Knoxville corridor with consumer lending, deposits, mortgages, and digital banking. Similar product mix and member-owned structure to ACFCU, though in a larger East Tennessee market.
• Greeneville Federal Credit Union (Greeneville/Greene County Credit Union): East Tennessee community-chartered federal credit union offering deposit accounts, consumer loans, mortgages, and digital banking - directly overlapping with ACFCU's product set and member profile in the same regional geography.
• Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union: Chattanooga-based Tennessee community-chartered federal credit union with consumer lending, deposits, mortgages, and business banking - highly comparable product suite and member-owned operating model to ACFCU, though located in a different Tennessee region.
• KUB Federal Credit Union: Tennessee-based community/employer-chartered federal credit union offering consumer loans, deposits, mortgages, and digital banking across East Tennessee. Comparable charter structure, product breadth, and member-owned model to ACFCU.

Broad incumbents

• First Horizon Bank (formerly First Tennessee): Large regional commercial bank headquartered in Memphis with significant Tennessee, Virginia, and broader Southeast branch presence and full consumer/business deposit and lending products. Overlaps with ACFCU's tri-state service area but operates at much greater scale with for-profit economic model.

Regional players

• Heritage South Credit Union (TN): Tennessee community credit union serving Middle Tennessee with comparable deposit, lending, and digital channels. Operates a similar community-charter model but in a non-overlapping Tennessee geography, making it a useful regional comparable.

Others

• GreenPath Financial Wellness: National nonprofit financial counseling partner of ACFCU providing debt management, student loan counseling, and housing services to members. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, used here as a comparable for the financial-wellness integration that credit unions increasingly bundle for members.
• TruStage Insurance: Credit-union-affiliated insurance provider offering auto and life insurance through partner credit unions including ACFCU. Adjacent industry participant rather than a direct competitor; comparable to other credit-union insurance/wealth product partners that represent how community CUs expand beyond core deposit/lending.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/myACFCU
• Facebookfacebook.com/myACFCU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/appalachian-community-federal-credit-union

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union