The History of America's Credit Unions
United Bay Community Credit Union was founded with one core purpose in mind: to build and foster the financial well-being of our community. More than just a bank, UBCCU is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution that provides a place for our members to grow strong financial roots.
History
United Bay Community Credit Union (Ubay) in Bay City, MI, has a rich history entwined with the Michigan automotive manufacturing industry. Originally founded in 1949 as Chevrolet Employees Federal Credit Union, Ubay was formed to help Chevrolet plant workers meet ever-pressing financial obligations as they returned to work after a 110-day strike. At the time, a collective of workers chipped in $5 per person to create a lending pool for their coworkers in need. In the years that followed, the credit union expanded their membership to hundreds of partnered organizations in the greater Bay County area, changing their name to United Bay Community Credit Union to reflect their growing member base.
In 2012, Ubay expanded outside of the Great Lakes Bay Region through a merger with Access First Federal Credit Union, thus making their brick-and-mortar debut in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. To better represent their state-wide presence, Ubay then expanded their membership charter to include all of Michigan in 2020. As of 2022, Ubay welcomes all Michiganders for membership and has six branches throughout the state.
