Better Know Your Credit Union: Redwood Credit Union

History and Background

Redwood Credit Union was formed in 1950 by seven County of Sonoma employees with the vision to provide County workers with affordable loans and a safe place to save their money. Today, Redwood Credit Union has grown to become the largest local financial institution in the North Bay, serving more than 180,000 Members, but we continue to remain committed to our core values of personalized service and the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.”

Service Specialties

Anyone who lives, works or owns a business in Sonoma County and the greater North Bay can bank with Redwood Credit Union. RCU offers complete financial solutions including:

•  Free checking with debit rewards
•  Home, auto and personal loans & lines of credit
•  Federally insured savings and deposit accounts
•  Investments and financial planning
•  Credit cards with rewards program
•  Free online banking, bill pay and transfers to and from other institutions
•  More than 28,000 free network ATMs nationwide
•  Free financial education, budgeting assistance and credit counseling
•  Business accounts, including commercial & SBA loans, payroll and merchant services
•  Affordable insurance through top-rated carriers
•  A full-service auto-buying center for new and used vehicles, & more!

Community Involvement

Redwood Credit Union is based in Sonoma County with locations in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, Windsor and Cloverdale, plus 7 additional branches throughout the North Bay. Our staff is committed to giving back to our communities, and we support many local non-profits through volunteering, fundraising and sponsorships, leadership on non-profit boards and committees, employee and corporate contributions. Some of the agencies and efforts we support include the Sonoma County Volunteer Center, Daily Acts, Harvest for the Hungry Garden, Laguna de Santa Rosa, Rebuilding Together, Schools Plus, Blood Bank of the Redwoods, United Way of the Wine Country and many others.

Why Bank with Us?

Like GoLocal, Redwood Credit Union is a cooperative, which means our purpose is not to profit, but to serve the best interests of our Members and communities by providing the services and tools you need to reach your financial goals and dreams. It also means that we return our profits to our Members by offering lower loan rates, higher savings yields and low or no fees for our services. We are active in our community and support many local non-profits and events throughout the year. And we are committed to providing financial education and resources to help people manage their money and achieve their financial goals and dreams.

Other Highlights

RCU is honored to be recognized by our communities with a number of local awards including:

•  Best Company to Do Business with in Sonoma County, and Best Credit Union by readers of NorthBay biz magazine
•  Best Bank by readers of the North Bay Bohemian
•  Best Place to Work by the North Bay Business Journal (for 5 consecutive years)

As part of our commitment to free financial education, Redwood Credit Union offers dozens of helpful articles on our website, as well as free financial seminars on a variety of topics throughout the year. We also host a free Finance & Banking Academy to teach local high school juniors and seniors the essentials of smart money management which will help them develop good financial habits that will benefit them for their entire lives.

Our Santa Rosa home office at 3033 Cleveland Avenue is LEED certified by the US Green Building Council, and we are committed to sustainable practices such as recycling and energy efficiency in all of our locations.

Our Cleveland Avenue building is also home to statues of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock and Lucy, all designed and painted by RCU staff as part of Santa Rosa’s Peanuts on Parade program in tribute to beloved local cartoonist Charles Schulz. Stop in and take a photo with them!

Learn more about RCU by visiting our website at www.redwoodcu.org, calling our local phone center at (707) 545-4000 or stop by any of our branch locations.