GREENVILLE AREA

Pair of credit unions merge

As banks offer more than simply savings and loans, so too must federal credit unions.

Fifty-seven years ago, Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad workers went to the home of the manager of the Bessemer Systems Federal Credit Union to deposit savings or take out loans. When the railroad moved its corporate offices out of Greenville 18 years ago, Bessemer Systems Federal Credit Union realized it had to expand services to workers of other companies, such as the predecessor of UPMC Horizon, Greenville, said Lura Campbell, Bessemer Systems Federal Credit Union manager.

In 1978, Greenville Area Federal Credit Union began opening savings accounts and making loans to other industrial workers. Only recently did Greenville Area Credit Union offer checking accounts, Ms. Campbell said.

To provide its members with more financial services, Greenville Area Federal Credit Union has merged into Bessemer Systems Federal Credit Union.

"Its board of directors decided we offered more services. In today’s finances, you must offer more services to keep your members happy," Ms. Campbell said.

Bessemer Systems Credit Union was offering hospital, railroad and other companies’ workers Individual Retirement Accounts, vacation clubs, home equity loans, credit cards, automated teller cards, and checking cards, which also are known as debit cards. The smaller Greenville Area Federal Credit Union was not offering these services, she said.

When the merger went into effect Tuesday, Bessemer Systems Federal Credit Union’s total membership increased to 4,975, Ms. Campbell said.

Members of the former Greenville Area Federal Credit Union, now members of Bessemer Systems Federal Credit Union, are employed at Trinity Industries, Marcegaglia-USA Damascus-Bishop Tube Co., Svedala Grindin Hodge Foundry, Greenville Municipal Authority, Lakeway Restaurant, Sha-Co Welding and Fabricating, Anderson Construction Co., Pymatuning Township supervisors, Reynolds Services Inc., Elder’s Sales and Service, Greenville Heating and Air Conditioning, Northwest Industrial Manufacturing, Wal-Mart Supercenter, and Salem Tube Co.

Along with the merger, Bessemer System Federal Credit Union received a community charter, Mrs. Campbell said. That means any Greenville area resident or anyone working in the Greenville area can be a member of Bessemer Systems Federal Credit Union and use its services, she said.