DUNEDIN, Fla.–Achieva Credit Union is celebrating its 80th anniversary. It noted that when it was first formed in 1937, nearly half the America’s banks had failed amid the Great Depression. Nevertheless, seven Pinellas County educators pooled together $99.25 to create a new credit union for teachers. Today, 80 years later, Achieva serves more than 140,000 members in 10 counties and has more than $1.4 billion in assets.
Achieva said it has not only grown in size, it has also built a reputation for innovative leadership and as a great place to work.
“Our founders demonstrated cooperation, frugality and service – and they believed in the growing credit union movement,” said CEO Gary Regoli said. “Those values formed the bedrock of this organization, and we still believe in those values today.”
Over the decades, Achieva said it grew and became a leader and innovator in credit unions in Florida. The organization was named the Pinellas County Teachers Credit union in 1950, and became community chartered in 1985. By 2003, it expanded into Pasco and Hernando county and changed names in 2004 to Achieva Credit Union.
Regoli became President and CEO in 2008, and Achieva merged with Sarasota Coastal Credit Union in 2009, expanding to seven counties. In 2012, membership expanded to Lee and Collier counties, and in 2015 Achieva set a trend in the financial world by acquiring Calusa Bank and becoming the first credit union to buy a whole bank operation in Florida.
Achieva sponsors a myriad of community events, such as box car rallies, scrapbooking events, 5k runs, soccer teams and baseball clubs. The Achieva Foundation supports education projects across the region, and provides scholarships to high-achieving students.