Founded in 1934 with just $49 in deposits, seven workers from the Omaha Telephone Company set out to form an extraordinary financial institution that would meet their financial needs. One that cares about its members. One that focuses on the credit union industry mantra, “People Helping People.”
Among those seven workers was Pearl Scheid, a single mother and the only woman in the founders group. She was the first to sign the credit union’s new charter and received Account Number 1.
We opened our doors for business as the Omaha Telephone Employees Federal Credit Union on November 9, 1934. We were the first credit union established in Nebraska and the 28th federally chartered credit union in the United States.
From the beginning, Omaha Telephone Employees Federal Credit Union, later known as Bell Federal Credit Union and today as Centris Federal Credit Union (centrisfcu.org), understood the importance of mutual support and community, laying the foundation for their legacy of dedication and exceptional service.
Fast forward 90 years and that $49 has grown to over $1 billion in assets. The seven original members have become a community of over 135,000, supported by nearly 350 employees and offering services from 15 branches in Nebraska and Iowa.
Through all this remarkable growth, our original mission has never shifted. We’re proud to have been a trusted financial partner for the past 90 years — and we look forward to continuing to serve our community for years to come.