Firefighters Credit Union

What Firefighters Credit Union does

Firefighters Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative founded in 1931 and headquartered at 525 5th Ave S. in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with two additional branches in Onalaska and Holmen. The institution serves consumers, families, and small businesses across a field of membership covering ten Wisconsin counties (La Crosse, Trempealeau, Monroe, Vernon, Jackson, Sauk, Buffalo, Crawford, Juneau, Richland) and four Minnesota counties (Winona, Houston, Fillmore, Olmstead), with original eligibility anchored to emergency protective service workers and expanded to include USA Securities employees and licensed real estate agents within 50 miles of La Crosse. The product portfolio spans five checking account tiers, three savings options, share certificates (91 days to 5 years), IRAs, and a full lending suite covering auto, personal, credit card, boat, RV, home equity, mortgage, and student loan products, with student loans delivered through a referral partnership with ISL Education Lending.

The credit union operates on a conventional community banking technology stack: Finastra's itsme247.com powers online banking and bill pay, SHAZAM handles debit card processing and Visa Secure OTP authentication, and IDCheck enables identity verification across approximately 5,000 shared branching locations nationwide. All deposit accounts are federally insured by the NCUA up to $250,000. The credit union publishes detailed rate sheets with tiered deposit pricing (including specialty products such as the 3.50% APY Extreme Checking account and the 7-month share certificate special at 4.00% APY) and generates revenue primarily through net interest margin on lending, supplemented by fee income on accounts, overdrafts, and out-of-network ATM usage, plus referral compensation from third-party partners (TruStage insurance, Cyberscout identity protection, ISL Education Lending).

The business model is a member-owned cooperative distribution structure: members become owners by opening a share account with a $5.00 minimum deposit and receive one-vote governance rights exercised through annual meetings. Acquisition is community-led and direct-to-consumer, relying on word-of-mouth, content marketing through the credit union's blog and 'Ask The Money Man' educational series, Facebook engagement, and community charitable programs (Children's Miracle Network Hospitals via Credit Unions for Kids, regional hat and mitten drives). Loan officers are the primary commercial interface, supported by six named individuals across the three branches. The institution is not-for-profit and returns earnings to members through competitive deposit rates and lower fees rather than external shareholder returns.

Name

Firefighters Credit Union

Legal name

Firefighters Credit Union

Website

https://myfirecu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Firefighters Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative founded in 1931 serving consumers, families, and emergency protective service workers across a 14-county field of membership in western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota through three branches, offering checking, savings, lending, and mortgage products federally insured by the NCUA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Employer/Occupational Credit Unions (FSABAEAB)

Keywords

• Consumer banking services
• Credit union lending
• Mortgage and home equity loans
• Share certificates and IRAs
• Small business banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Onalaska

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income on Loans: As a credit union, the primary revenue stream is interest income from lending products including auto loans, personal loans, mortgages, home equity loans, credit cards, boat/RV loans, and student loans. Interest rates on share certificates and loans generate the core earnings.
2. Fee Income: The credit union generates revenue from various account and service fees including monthly maintenance fees (some checking plans have fees if balance thresholds are not met), overdraft fees, ATM fees for out-of-network usage, wire transfer fees, official check fees, and check ordering fees.
3. Share Certificate & Savings Deposits: Members deposit savings into share accounts, share certificates, IRAs, and money market accounts. These deposits are used to fund loans to other members, with the spread between loan rates and deposit rates generating revenue.
4. Third-Party Insurance & Financial Products: Revenue is generated through referral arrangements with third-party providers including TruStage life insurance, ISL Education Lending student loans, and Cyberscout ID Assure identity theft protection. The credit union receives compensation for referrals of these products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Firefighters Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative that provides consumer and small-business deposit and lending products, including checking, savings, share certificates, IRAs, mortgages, auto/boat/RV/personal/home equity loans, credit cards, and lines of credit. Members access services through three Wisconsin branches, online and mobile banking, shared branching nationwide, and a 24/7 audio response phone system, with all deposits federally insured by the NCUA up to $250,000.

Product overview

Firefighters Credit Union operates as a member-owned financial cooperative serving the La Crosse area of Wisconsin and surrounding counties. The product portfolio consists of core banking products including five checking account types, three savings options, share certificates (CDs), and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). The lending suite includes auto loans, personal loans, credit cards, boat loans, RV loans, home equity loans/lines of credit, mortgages, and student loans through ISL Education Lending. Digital banking services include online banking and bill pay via itsme247.com platform, shared branching for nationwide access, and free debit/ATM cards with Visa Secure authentication. The credit union also offers business services, savings clubs (Christmas Club, Vacation Club, Kids Klub), and insurance products through TruStage partnerships. All accounts are federally insured by NCUA up to $250,000.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Checking Accounts Five checking account plans (Personal Checking, Classic '50 Checking, Prestige Checking, Extreme Checking, Business Checking, VIP Business Checking) for members and small businesses, with free debit/ATM access, online banking, and tiered APY.
• Savings Accounts Membership & Daily Share Savings, Money Tree Savings, and other savings vehicles with tiered dividend rates and a $5 minimum balance.
• Share Certificates Certificate of deposit products with terms ranging from 91 days to 5 years, offering competitive dividend rates and APYs; minimum $1,000 opening balance.
• Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts including Traditional and Roth IRAs, with IRA Savings tiered APY and IRA Share Certificates for terms over 1 year.
• Savings Clubs Goal-based savings accounts including Christmas Club (up to 3.50% APY on balances up to $2,500), Vacation Club, and Kids Klub for youth financial literacy.
• Auto Loans Financing for new and used vehicles with competitive rates, no prepayment penalties, and flexible payment options including payroll deduction.
• Personal Loans Personal and signature loans for unexpected expenses, home repairs, or other needs with flexible payment schedules and no prepayment penalties.
• Credit Cards Low-rate credit cards with no annual fee, cash back rewards, balance transfer options, and nationwide cash access.
• Boat Loans Financing options for new and used boats (fishing boats, speedboats) with flexible terms and competitive rates.
• RV Loans Financing for recreational vehicles including snowmobiles, Jet Skis, and RVs with competitive rates and terms.
• Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit (HELOC) Second mortgages and home equity lines of credit allowing members to use home equity for renovations, debt consolidation, or other major expenses.
• Mortgages Home lending products including first-time homebuyer programs, refinancing options, and adjustable-rate mortgages with local underwriting and mortgage specialists.
• Lines of Credit Revolving credit lines up to an established credit limit, usable as overdraft protection or for ongoing credit access.
• Student Loans Private student loans and refinancing offered through partnership with ISL Education Lending, a nonprofit student loan provider.
• Business Services Business checking accounts including Business Checking and VIP Business Checking with tiered APY on minimum balances.
• Online Banking and Bill Pay Online banking platform (itsme247.com / Finastra) allowing members to access accounts, transfer funds, pay bills, view statements, and manage finances 24/7.
• Shared Branching Access to approximately 5,000 shared branching credit union locations nationwide, with IDCheck smartphone-based identity verification for cross-credit-union transactions.
• ATM and Debit Cards Free debit cards with ATM access and Visa Secure one-time passcode authentication for secure e-commerce and point-of-sale transactions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Share certificate rates up to 4.00% APY (7-month special), compared to national averages
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SHAZAMcoreTechnology or IntegrationSHAZAM is Firefighters Credit Union's debit card processor. The partnership includes Visa Secure authentication implementation, fraud monitoring, and security features for debit cards. SHAZAM provides ongoing fraud prevention resources and scam awareness content that the credit union publishes for members.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (Credit Unions for Kids)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirefighters Credit Union is a proud supporter of Credit Unions for Kids, benefiting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. The credit union donates to and fundraises for the organization, and displays the Credit Unions for Kids logo on its website as part of its community commitment.
• Bernadot StudiosminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBernadot Studios designed and maintains the Firefighters Credit Union website (myfirecu.org). The credit union's website design credits Bernadot Studios as the website design provider.
• 7 Rivers Region Chapter of Credit UnionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirefighters Credit Union participates in the 7 Rivers Region Chapter of Credit Unions, a regional credit union association. The chapter organizes community initiatives including the Hat and Mitten Drive for local communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Police and Fire Federal Credit Union: Philadelphia-based federal credit union serving first responders and affiliated personnel. Directly comparable in emergency-services affinity-based field of membership, member-owned cooperative model, and full-service consumer banking offering.
• Royal Credit Union: Wisconsin-based community credit union headquartered in Eau Claire, serving western Wisconsin with a similar multi-branch, community-focused model. Most directly comparable in geographic footprint, scale, and member-owned cooperative structure to Firefighters Credit Union.
• CoVantage Credit Union: Wisconsin-based community credit union serving northern and central Wisconsin with a cooperative structure and full-service banking model. Comparable in being a member-owned institution focused on community lending and deposit gathering.
• WESTconsin Credit Union: Wisconsin-headquartered community credit union with multiple branches in western Wisconsin, similar in size and community-banking model. Comparable field of membership covering nearby Wisconsin counties and similar deposit/loan product suite.

Regional players

• Great Lakes Credit Union: Illinois-based community credit union with a similar small/mid-scale community banking model. Comparable product suite and member-owned cooperative structure, but operating in a different Midwestern geography.

Emerging players

• Self-Help Federal Credit Union: Community development credit union with a mission-driven, member-owned model serving underserved markets. Comparable in cooperative values and community-focused approach, though serving different end markets and geographies.

Broad incumbents

• UW Credit Union: Madison, Wisconsin-based community credit union with a broad consumer and business banking product suite. Comparable deposit, loan, and mortgage offerings, but significantly larger and operating across a wider Wisconsin geography.
• Connexus Credit Union: One of Wisconsin's largest credit unions (Wausau-based), offering the same core deposit, loan, and mortgage products at greater scale. Comparable product set and Wisconsin footprint, but a larger, more diversified institution.
• Summit Credit Union: Wisconsin-based community credit union serving the Madison area with a full-service banking model. Comparable product offerings and member-owned cooperative structure, but larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Alliant Credit Union: Chicago-based digital-first credit union with a broad community field of membership. Comparable deposit and loan product suite, but operates at much larger scale with a national, primarily digital distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/myfirecu

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Firefighters Credit Union