Ventura County Credit Union

Ventura County Credit Union is a member-owned financial institution that serves consumers and small businesses across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. It offers everyday banking services such as checking and savings accounts, credit cards, auto and personal loans, home loans, and digital banking, along with deposit and lending options for local businesses. As a not-for-profit credit union, it is owned by its members, overseen by a volunteer board, and reinvests earnings into better rates, lower fees, and local community programs.

The credit union was founded in 1950 to serve Ventura County employees. Over time, it opened membership to the broader community and steadily added branches as its customer base grew. It also expanded from basic accounts into real estate lending, online and mobile banking, and a fuller suite of business services, evolving from a small employee-focused institution into a regional financial partner for households and employers throughout Ventura County.

A recent milestone for Ventura County Credit Union is its 75th anniversary, celebrated through a “Year of Giving” initiative in 2024–2025. As part of this effort, the credit union committed $750,000 in community contributions, including a $75,000 donation to the Health Care Foundation for Ventura County. This type of multi-year, local investment underscores its long-standing role as a community-oriented financial anchor rather than a short-term market entrant.

As of April 2024, Ventura County Credit Union operates eight full-service branches in and around Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Port Hueneme, and Santa Paula, supported by a corporate office in Ventura. These branches are complemented by ATM access, participation in shared branching networks, and support for modern digital payment tools such as mobile wallets, which help tie physical locations to everyday banking activity.

Over roughly the last five years, the credit union has followed a measured expansion plan centered on Ventura County and nearby communities. Instead of aggressive statewide or multistate growth, it has focused on strengthening coverage within its existing footprint, adding or relocating branches when member demand, traffic patterns, and neighborhood partnerships support a long-term presence. Public campaigns tied to the 75th anniversary and increased outreach in local neighborhoods signal an ongoing commitment to brick-and-mortar banking alongside digital channels, rather than a shift toward branch consolidation.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Ventura County Credit Union represents a stable, independent financial tenant with a preference for small to mid-size branch spaces in grocery-anchored centers, community retail corridors, and visible office or civic-adjacent locations within its membership area. Its conservative, locally driven growth posture favors long-term occupancy, periodic remodels, and selective new sites in established trade areas where convenient access for members is a priority.

As of April 2024, Ventura County Credit Union remains an independent, state-chartered credit union, not part of a larger banking group and not publicly traded. It is insured by the National Credit Union Administration. Its member-focused governance and local orientation support a careful but ongoing approach to physical expansion, with room for new branches, relocations, and modernizations where they align with community needs and sustained use of the space.