your credit union just changed

If you bank with MAC in Fairbanks, it's not MAC anymore.

Fairbanks-based MAC Federal Credit Union just merged into Credit Union 1. Members of both voted yes, and as of the first of June they're officially one credit union under the Credit Union 1 name.

Together they've got about 112,500 members, nineteen branches around the state, and more than 1.7 billion dollars in the bank. That makes Credit Union 1 one of the biggest in Alaska. For regular members, bigger usually means more places to bank and a little more muscle behind your money.

If you're a MAC member, they say you won't see big changes right away. Over time you're supposed to get higher loan limits, better online and app banking, and more branches you can actually walk into.

MAC got its start back in 1952 at Fort Wainwright, serving soldiers and the folks who work on post. It later opened in Wasilla and Palmer, so this touches members well beyond just Fairbanks.

Credit Union 1 has been growing fast, adding branches around the state, with another one opening in Homer this year. So they're clearly playing to be everywhere Alaskans are.

For the thousands of military families and Interior folks who've banked with MAC for years, the name on the door is the big change for now. The accounts stay, the branches stay, but the sign out front is different.