Service 1st started at a cafeteria table at Geisinger Medical Center and later moved into a cottage on the hospital's Danville campus. 

(Danville, PA) – Service 1st Federal Credit Union is excited to announce a significant milestone in the credit union’s history. 2025 marks the credit union’s 50th Anniversary.

“We are looking forward to celebrating ‘50 Years of Friends You Can Bank On’ throughout 2025 with our members, volunteers, team and the community,” said Mike Thomas, President/CEO, Service 1st. “We are truly grateful for our 46,000 plus members, their families and their businesses for the trust they place in us. We’re looking forward to celebrating with members throughout the year during a number of upcoming events.” 

In 1975, Barbara Criswell, founding member and long-time Service 1st Board Director led the group of Geisinger Medical Center employees who identified the need for credit union services and rallied support and involvement from their colleagues. In the beginning, the credit union was run by volunteers who opened accounts at a table in the hospital’s cafeteria and later from one of the on-campus cottages.

“It was Barbara’s vision that initially sparked, what is now known as Service 1st Federal Credit Union,” added Mike Thomas.

Criswell retired from Service 1st’s Board of Directors last summer after serving as a volunteer in numerous and impactful roles for nearly 40 years.

Originally chartered on August 25, 1975, as Geisinger Employees Federal Credit Union, it’s also important to understand the timing of Service 1st’s Charter. It was amid the Women’s Movement which covered a span of nearly 20 years from the 1960s through the 1980s. In the 1960s, women had won the right to open a bank account on their own; however, most financial institutions didn’t honor that right until 1974 when the Equal Opportunity Act was passed. The following year, would become known as the International Women’s Year, declared by the United Nations and marked by the World Conference of Women held from June 19 through July 2 in 1975. 

“Barbara began a long-standing tradition by stepping outside of the box to start a cooperative institution that would positively impact the financial lives of so many locally over the past 50 years,” said Thomas. “We’re committed to continuing this tradition and working with our members to achieve their financial goals. Our promise to our members remains to provide a lifetime of financial services to meet their changing needs, fostering a relationship of trust, dignity and respect.”

To commemorate this milestone year, the credit union will be hosting a number of 50th Anniversary Member Appreciation events throughout 2025 and celebrating during their regularly scheduled fundraising events. 

For more information, click the chat icon below or call our Contact Center at 800.562.6049.