ORNL FCU 75 Years

Closer to home, the Tennessee Valley Authority spent $600 million as part of its clean-air initiative to help cities and other states meet new clean-air requirements while bolstering industrial and economic growth in the area. It was a historic year for sports at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville: the Lady Vols capped an undefeated season with their third straight NCAA basketball championship, and Vol football won the NCAA championship as well, sealing their historic run with a victory over Florida State in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. The year was also marked by ORNL Federal Credit Union’s fiftieth anniversary. Since 1948, assets had grown from just $50 to over $489 million, and the ten-person membership was now at seventy thousand. Few years in the credit union’s history had been as eventful as 1998. It was a year of growth, celebration, and triumph: continued growth despite adversity in the marketplace, the celebration of a milestone in fifty years of service, and triumph over a near-paralyzing challenge from the banking industry. For nine consecutive weeks, ORNL FCU’s anniversary celebration went on the road to every branch, enabling as many members as possible to join in the festivities. Officials and management greeted members at all offices, sharing stories from throughout the years and spreading optimism about the future. A special reception brought together officials and managers, both past and present, and other key players, including charter members Meredith Hill, Fred C. Vonder Lage, and Lloyd Williams. The event gave everyone a moment to pause, reflect on the past, and give thanks for those whose crucial roles formed ORNL Federal Credit Union.

Over six thousand credit union supporters, including a large contingency from ORNL FCU, assembled in Washington, DC, on July 28, 1998, as a show of support for HR 1151.

52 | 75 YEARS ORNL FEDERAL CREDIT UNION