evergreenDIRECT Credit Union Joins DCUC, Bringing 70 Years of Public Service Roots

“Joining DCUC is an opportunity to strengthen our voice on the issues that matter to our members,” says JohnPaul McGee, CEO/President of evergreenDIRECT Credit Union and an Army veteran. That voice now has a bigger room to speak in. The Washington State credit union has officially joined the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) as a new member.

A long road to a new name

evergreenDIRECT has changed names more often than most institutions change logos, and each shift tells you something about where it came from.

• 1954: Employees of the State Department of Public Assistance founded it as SDPA Credit Union.
• 1973: It received a federal charter and became Social and Health Services Federal Credit Union. Its field of membership covered the Department of Social and Health Services, the Department of Health, and all earlier groups.
• 2005: It switched from a federal to a state charter. Membership opened to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in designated “qualified communities,” defined as school districts across Washington.
• 2006-2007: It merged with Evergreen Federal Credit Union in June 2006, then took the name evergreenDIRECT Credit Union effective January 1, 2007.

Why the move makes sense

For McGee, the appeal is practical. He says the credit union hopes to draw on DCUC’s advocacy, resources, and military financial expertise to support its members and the communities it serves. It also gets to connect with other credit unions that share its commitment to service.

DCUC sees a natural fit too. Anthony Hernandez, DCUC President/CEO and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, pointed to the credit union’s origins. “evergreenDIRECT’s roots in public service reflect a commitment to community that resonates with DCUC’s mission,” he said. He added that DCUC looks forward to bringing the credit union’s perspective into its advocacy. “Together, we can strengthen the credit union voice and champion the financial well-being of members, including servicemembers, veterans, and their families.”

What to watch next

Membership announcements are easy to file under “nice news,” but the real test comes later. Watch for how evergreenDIRECT’s community-based, school-district-defined membership shapes DCUC’s advocacy conversations, and whether the credit union taps DCUC’s military financial resources to serve veterans and military families around Washington State.