Over three years in the making, Valley Oak Credit Union was excited to celebrate the opening of their new Tulare branch location with a grand opening event held on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
The credit union invited members and the community to share in the festivities. The new branch is a move from their previous Tulare location that offers such services as a drive-thru teller lane, drive-up ATM, and community room with a kitchen area, bathrooms, internet and a number of tables and chairs within a large open space for members and the public alike to rent for any number of purposes.
“We couldn’t be more excited to offer a new location in Cantonment to better serve all of our current and future members in that area,” states Alan Cortum, president and chief executive officer of Valley Oak Credit Union. “With the support of our Board of Directors, we are ready to provide local residents the opportunity to conveniently bank with us in-person through our lobby and drive-thru – along with this location offering such features as a community room for meetings and modest gatherings. We feel our presence will be a welcomed addition to the area and are excited to have now officially opened our doors to embrace the surrounding community as their new financial partner.”
The new Tulare branch also offers something unique to the area as the location was built with Mother Nature in mind.
“We designed it to go above and beyond in sustainability, using energy-efficient systems and environmentally responsible materials to reduce its carbon footprint,” Cortum explains. “Because of that extra effort, we are proud to announce that it has earned the Gold Certification rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from The U.S. Green Building Council and verified by Green Business Certification. It’s just one more way Valley Oak is committed to serving the community responsibly and sustainably today and for years to come.”
The grand opening celebration on March 26, 2026, began with a ribbon cutting ceremony with representatives from the Tulare Chamber of Commerce, state and local officials and fellow business representatives. The celebration continued throughout the day with coffee and pastries from Rooted, lunch and sweet treats for guests, and a live remote broadcast from KJUG. Along with time for attendees to mingle, celebrate the new branch, and enjoy free goodie bags, raffle prizes, and commemorative t-shirts for members.