Partners Federal Credit Union
Encyclopedia
Partners Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered credit union
with corporate headquarters in Burbank
, California
. The not-for-profit financial cooperative offers membership to employees and cast members of The Walt Disney Company
and their family members. As of May 2010, the credit union has eight branches, in excess of 90,000 members and nearly $950 million in assets.
cast members, and when first chartered was called the DRC Federal Credit Union. DRC was an acronym for the Disneyland Recreational Club, which was a precursor to the Disneyland Resort
's current Cast Activities department. The offices moved a number of times before relocating off Disneyland's traditional premises: The first office was a couple of rooms behind the camera shop on main street. Al Yee, a Disneyland accountant, was the first member and had account number 1 until his passing. The DRC building in the 1970s was a double-wide "temporary" building, externally decorated with contemporary Studio look with planter boxes and wood exterior. It was located in the center of the employees backstage area, east of Main Street, U.S.A.
, west of the original park's Administration Building and south of the current location of Space Mountain (what was then called the Temporary Tomorrowland Stage). Sometime before the end of 1977, the building was moved to the area just inside of the tall chainlink fence on Harbor Blvd and a bit north of the original employee entry (what Disneyland Security called Harbor House) for the employees parking lot that was on the east side of the original property.
In the 1970s, DRC Federal Credit Union changed its name to Disneyland Employees Federal Credit Union. In the 1980s, at the request of CEO Michael Eisner
, the credit union was asked to stop using the name "Disneyland" so the name was changed once again to Partners Federal Credit Union.
Partners merged with Vista Federal Credit Union in November 2007. Vista FCU, which was established in 1960 prior to Partners, also served Walt Disney Company Cast Members and employees primarily of The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank
, California
and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando
, Florida
.
. When the Walt Disney Company took over management of the RMS Queen Mary
in Long Beach
in 1988, employees working for that attraction were added to the field of membership. In 2001, the field of membership for Partners FCU was expanded to cover any employee or Cast Member working for the Walt Disney Company in the United States.
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
with corporate headquarters in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The not-for-profit financial cooperative offers membership to employees and cast members of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
and their family members. As of May 2010, the credit union has eight branches, in excess of 90,000 members and nearly $950 million in assets.
History
The credit union was formed in 1968 at the request of a group of Disneyland ParkDisneyland Park (Anaheim)
Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of the Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland when it opened on July 18, 1955, and still almost universally referred to by that name, it is the only theme park to be...
cast members, and when first chartered was called the DRC Federal Credit Union. DRC was an acronym for the Disneyland Recreational Club, which was a precursor to the Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort is a recreational resort in Anaheim, California. The resort is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks and Resorts division and is home to two theme parks, three hotels and a shopping, dining, and entertainment area known as Downtown Disney.The area now...
's current Cast Activities department. The offices moved a number of times before relocating off Disneyland's traditional premises: The first office was a couple of rooms behind the camera shop on main street. Al Yee, a Disneyland accountant, was the first member and had account number 1 until his passing. The DRC building in the 1970s was a double-wide "temporary" building, externally decorated with contemporary Studio look with planter boxes and wood exterior. It was located in the center of the employees backstage area, east of Main Street, U.S.A.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Main Street, U.S.A. is the first "themed land" inside the main entrance of the many 'Magic Kingdom'-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world....
, west of the original park's Administration Building and south of the current location of Space Mountain (what was then called the Temporary Tomorrowland Stage). Sometime before the end of 1977, the building was moved to the area just inside of the tall chainlink fence on Harbor Blvd and a bit north of the original employee entry (what Disneyland Security called Harbor House) for the employees parking lot that was on the east side of the original property.
In the 1970s, DRC Federal Credit Union changed its name to Disneyland Employees Federal Credit Union. In the 1980s, at the request of CEO Michael Eisner
Michael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
, the credit union was asked to stop using the name "Disneyland" so the name was changed once again to Partners Federal Credit Union.
Partners merged with Vista Federal Credit Union in November 2007. Vista FCU, which was established in 1960 prior to Partners, also served Walt Disney Company Cast Members and employees primarily of The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Membership Eligibility
Originally, membership in Partners FCU was limited to Walt Disney Company employees working in Orange County, CaliforniaOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. When the Walt Disney Company took over management of the RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...
in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in 1988, employees working for that attraction were added to the field of membership. In 2001, the field of membership for Partners FCU was expanded to cover any employee or Cast Member working for the Walt Disney Company in the United States.