-July 9,2019-
Kern Schools Federal Credit Union will open its first branches outside of Kern County with locations in both Tulare and in Visalia. Earlier this year the CEO of the Bakersfield credit union announced they were studying the possibly of expansion beyond the Kern line.
The credit union’s marketing officer Michael George confirms this week they plan to open branches in Tulare County pending approval from both a state and federal agency.
“We are the the third largest financial institution in Kern County” says George with the “size and ability to offer better deposit and loan rates to customers.”
The credit union was started almost 60 years ago for teachers but today anyone who lives in Kern and now Tulare County can join. They specialize in home and auto loans but are expanding their services to include wealth management and business banking says George
Kern Schools has filed preliminary plans to build a new branch on the south side of Prosperity in Tulare’s Target shopping center. The branch would be 2640 square feet according to the site plan filed July 10.
George says the Visalia location would be on South Mooney in a new proposed shopping center across from Target.The site is at the southwest corner of Mooney and Visalia Parkway where Carmax and tire retailer Les Schwab are expected to open.
Founded in 1940, Kern Schools has 160,000 members, $1.6 billion in assets, 10 offices and more than 400 employees.
Asked if they were getting any push-back from the numerous credit unions already in Tulare Country, George notes that other credit union have moved into the Tulare County marketplace including Fresno’s Educational Employees Credit Union and Golden One Credit Union.