Wescom Financial

Wescom Financial
Company typeCredit union
IndustryFinancial services
Founded1934
HeadquartersPasadena, California, United States
Key people
Darren Williams, President/CEO
Hani Bhimji, Board Chairman
ProductsSavings; checking; youth account; consumer loans; mortgages; credit cards; investments; insurance; online and mobile banking
Total assets$6.3 B USD (2026)
Members250,000
Number of employees
881 [1]
Websitewescom.org

Wescom Financial is a credit union and financial services company serving California. It has $6.3 billion in assets and more than 250,000 members.[2] Wescom currently has 30 branches, throughout 21 counties, from Central California and Southern California.

Wescom Financial supports credit unions through Wescom Resources Group, a CUSO that provides technology products and services to credit unions across the United States.[3]

Wescom was named one of "America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions” by Newsweek in 2024, 2025, and 2026.[4]

History

The Credit Union was founded as Telephone Employees Credit Union in 1934 by 13 Pacific Telephone employees who wanted to help fellow telephone employees obtain hard to get loans. Starting with $65 in 1934, the Credit Union’s assets reached $282,000 in the 1940’s and $500 million in the 1980’s.[5]

In 1996, the Credit Union changed its name to Wescom Credit Union. It primarily served the telecommunications industry until 1999, when its field of membership was expanded to allow anyone living, working, worshiping, or going to school in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties to join Wescom. Santa Barbara County was added to Wescom's field of membership in 2004, and San Diego County was added in 2005.[6]

In 2023, it was announced that the Credit Union would merge with Central Coast Federal Credit Union of Monterey, California, extending its reach into the Central Coast of California.

In 2025, Wescom Credit Union updated its name to Wescom Financial to better represent its full range of financial services that extend beyond traditional credit union offerings.[7]

Branches and Services

Wescom Financial offers full service at its 30 branches throughout California, including branches on-campus at UCLA and near the main entrance at Knott’s Berry Farm. Drive-up ATMs are available at select branches: Anaheim, Hawthorne, Redlands, and Signal Hill.

In addition to the branches, Wescom’s “Big Blue” Mobile Branch is equipped to help members perform cashless account transactions, apply for new Wescom loans, request insurance quotes, and more.[8]

Wescom Financial offers these services:

  • Checking, savings, money market, certificates, and youth accounts
  • Mortgages
  • Home Equity Line of Credit
  • Auto loans including green auto loans
  • Credit Cards including UCLA Bruin Edge Visa®, Knott’s Berry Farm Visa®, Wescom MyReward Visa®
  • Student Loans
  • Financial education and counseling
  • Auto, homeowners, renters, life, health, and dental insurance
  • Investment services

Wescom Foundation

The Wescom Foundation is a charitable foundation created in 1999 by Wescom Financial employees with the goal of making California a better place through employee and member volunteerism and investment. Over 25 years, the Wescom Foundation has donated more than $6.4 million, with members contributing over $610,000 to its campaigns since 2020.

In 2025, the Wescom Foundation partnered with ForgiveCo to erase $10 million in consumer debt for residents impacted by the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. UCLA’s Coach Cori Close joined efforts to support Wescom’s relief efforts throughout the 2025-26 UCLA Women’s Basketball season, lending her voice through content creation and welcoming select beneficiaries to home games with her program.[9]

Official Partnerships

UCLA and Rose Bowl Stadium

Wescom Financial has a 10-year partnership as the exclusive banking partner for multiple facets of the collegiate community, focused on delivering financial education and resources to the extended Bruin family.[10] Wescom Financial is the Official Banking Partner of:

  • UCLA Athletics
  • UCLA Alumni Association
  • UCLA Campus Life and Recreation
  • UCLA Dashew for International Students and Scholars
  • Rose Bowl Stadium

Wescom Financial is also the sponsor of UCLA’s Financial Wellness Program and partner of ASUCLA.[11]

In 2022, Wescom announced their first student-athlete partnership with UCLA Women’s Softball Student-Athlete Maya Brady.[12] In 2023, Wescom Financial announced the first ever NIL partnership with the nationally ranked 2023–24 UCLA Bruins women's basketball team.[13] In addition to the NIL partnership with all 12 student-athletes, Wescom partnered with the Michael Price Family UCLA Women’s Head Basketball Coach Cori Close.

Wescom also has a presence on campus as the official presenting sponsorship of Pauley Pavilion with signage reflecting “Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial.” [14] Wescom also offers full service at the UCLA on-campus branch located in Ackerman Student Union and convenient access via the eight on-campus ATMs.

Wescom launched the UCLA Bruin Edge Visa® Credit Card in 2021 and the UCLA-branded debit card in 2024.[15]

Knott's Berry Farm

In 2023, Wescom Financial announced an 8-year partnership with Knott’s Berry Farm, becoming the Official Banking Partner of Knott’s Berry Farm, Knott’s Soak City Water Park, Knott’s California Marketplace, and Knott’s Hotel.[16] Bringing convenient banking to the theme park, Wescom opened the Knott’s Berry Farm Branch making it the 30th branch for the Credit Union.


In 2024, Wescom launched the Knott’s Berry Farm Visa® Credit Card.[17]

Recognition

  • Great Place to Work® Certification™ 2023-2024, 2024-2025 [1]
  • Named “America's Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions” by Newsweek 2024, 2025 [4]
  • Daily News Reader Choice Favorite 2023 [18]
  • The Press Enterprise Best of Inland Empire 2023 [18]
  • South Bay’s Favorite 2023 [18]
  • San Gabriel Valley’s Favorite 2023 [18]
  • LA Times Best of the Southland 2022 [19]
  • The Orange County Register Best of Orange County 2022 [19]
  • Daily News Readers Best Choice 2022 [19]
  • The Press Enterprise Best of Inland Empire 2022 [19]
  • Hey SoCal Reader's Choice Top 3 Credit Unions 2022 [19]
  • Pasadena Weekly Best of Pasadena 2022 [19]


References

  1. ^ a b "Working at Wescom Financial". Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  2. ^ "NCUA Research a Credit Union". Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  3. ^ "Wescom Branch Locations and Hours". Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  4. ^ a b "America's Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions". Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Wescom About Us". Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  6. ^ "Wescom 2017 Annual Report". Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  7. ^ "Wescom Credit Union Rebrands to Wescom Financial". Credit Union Times. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  8. ^ "Wescom Credit Union's Big Blue Mobile Branch Stops By Pasadena This Month". Pasadena Now. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  9. ^ "Wescom Financial to offer debt relief to Los Angeles wildfire survivors". CBS News. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  10. ^ "UCLA's Pauley Pavilion gets a slight makeover and name change in new deal with Wescom". LA Times. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  11. ^ "UCLA Strikes $38M Naming Rights Deal With Wescom Credit Union for Basketball Pavilion". LA Business Journal. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  12. ^ "Pasadena-Based Wescom Announces NIL Partnership with UCLA Women's Softball Student-Athlete Maya Brady". Pasadena Now. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  13. ^ "Bruins women's basketball team lands first-ever team-wide NIL deal at UCLA". On3. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  14. ^ "UCLA's historic Pauley Pavilion to add presenting sponsor". ESPN. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  15. ^ "Pasadena-based Wescom Credit Union To Introduce Two Credit Cards Specially Designed for UCLA Alumni, Students and Staff". Pasadena Now. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  16. ^ "Wescom Credit Union Becomes Official Banking Partner of Knott's Berry Farm". Credit Union Today. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  17. ^ "Pasadena-Based Wescom Financial to Host Grand Opening Celebration at Knott's Berry Farm Branch". Pasadena Now. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  18. ^ a b c d "Wescom Annual Report 2023". Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  19. ^ a b c d e f "Wescom Annual Report 2022". Retrieved February 12, 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.