Growing Up with Apple FCU
When I think about Apple Federal Credit Union, I don't just think about the place where I do my banking. I think about my childhood.
Some of my earliest memories are playing in the first Apple FCU branch in Fairfax—a little white building in University Shopping Center—with my three older siblings. We'd run around and keep ourselves entertained in the credit union our parents worked so hard to build.
My dad, Roy, was hired as Apple FCU's first Manager in 1965 (really the first CEO, but credit unions didn't use that term in those days). He was teaching history at Woodson High School when his colleagues approached him one day and asked, "We need a manager for the credit union we’ve started. Can you help us?"
From the moment he said yes, he put everything into the job, and it became a family effort. He and my mom ran Apple FCU—known back then as Fairfax Education Association Federal Credit Union—at our dining room table, pouring hours into this organization they believed in so deeply. Members came to our house around the clock, whether for deposits or questions, and one of my parents always answered the door to assist them.
There were plenty of nights when my dad was out at a conference, and my mom was home alone with us kids when a member would come knocking well after bedtime. That might sound nerve-wracking to a lot of people, but to my family, it was the path my father proudly led us down. I always feel inspired and proud when I think of him in those days.
My Dad's Vision
While my father did care about banking, it wasn’t the driving force behind his work. What he was truly passionate about was education.
He wanted Fairfax County Public School employees to understand their money better: how to save it, grow it and make it work as hard as they did. A lot of these members had never learned about saving or investing, and if they had learned, it wasn’t comprehensive. When they came to my dad, he always carefully explained how if he took $2 of the $20 they were depositing, he could grow it for them in a savings account over time. He pulled back the curtain on the mysteries of money for a lot of people.
My dad also knew my mom was as important to the story as he was. He encouraged her to continue her education, which led her to earn her master’s degree and eventually her doctorate. Between the two of them, they poured countless hours into creating an organization that could serve Fairfax County educators and the generations of members to follow—including their children.
Watching Apple FCU Grow
Over the years, I've watched Apple FCU change dramatically. Even though I never sat at the kitchen table with mom and dad as they worked, or held any sort of role at Apple, I’ve stayed invested in every change.
The biggest change over the years has been technology. There was a time when, for any sort of banking I needed to do, I drove to my nearest branch, parked my car, walked inside and saw the same friendly faces every visit. They handled everything for me and we caught up on each other’s lives in the meantime.
Today, they’re still there, at many more locations, but I can do almost everything online. I deposit checks with my phone, get my paycheck two days earlier with Direct Deposit, and can manage my account with a few swipes and taps. It’s incredible, and surely beyond my dad’s wildest dreams for the credit union.
The upgrades Apple FCU has made over the years mean I can do everything on my time. Between work and keeping up with my own children’s families, I’m not able to get to the branch as much as I used to. These conveniences allow me to stay on top of my banking without delays.
The one thing digital banking will never be able to do is replace the relationships I built with everyone in those branches. Nobody knew my familial connection to the credit union. They were just the kind, friendly people I saw every week. They asked about my life and gave me updates on theirs. Everyone who works the teller stations has the remarkable ability to make anyone who walks in, feel like they just walked home.
What Has Never Changed
Despite all the growth, one thing has remained prevalent to me: Apple FCU’s commitment to serving Fairfax County school employees, families and the community.
When the Fairfax Education Association Federal Credit Union opened its doors 70 years ago, it was for teachers and Fairfax County school staff only. Even though this has changed, and thousands more have joined, I still see education at the heart of everything Apple FCU does.
Speaking of education, I appreciate all the ways Apple FCU continues to educate members on saving and building wealth—whether it’s through savings accounts, Certificates or Money Market accounts. I think back to my dad, who encouraged folks to save even just a couple of dollars to make a big difference over time, and it’s clear to me Apple’s core values are as strong as ever. I think he’d have loved the newest savings account, SafetyNet, where folks can save for emergencies.
Why I'm Still a Member
I've stayed with Apple FCU all these years for a simple reason: it keeps me connected to my dad.
History matters to me. I'm my family’s unofficial historian, with boxes of old mementos and a story for each one. My favorite little piece of the credit union's legacy is probably my baby photo, shared in a Fairfax Education Association Federal Credit Union newsletter in March of 1965. Fun fact: before we could include the scan of the newsletter here, we had to edit out my member number—published for all to see back then! I can’t help but laugh now, thinking of the leaps and bounds that Apple has since taken when it comes to account security.
Artifacts like this help me remember my dad. Being an Apple FCU member is another way I stay connected to his legacy.
Additionally, there’s just something about banking with a credit union that feels more like I’m a part of a community, as opposed to if I did my banking with a bigger institution. I feel like Apple is my neighbor, celebrating my accomplishments with me and lifting me up during harder times. Those humble teachers who started it 70 years ago had a simple, noble goal—to support one another—and I can feel their efforts to this day.
As Apple FCU continues to grow, my hope is that future generations experience this feeling, too. I imagine bringing my grandson in one day to open his first account. When we walk through the front doors, I want him to be greeted by the same friendly, enthusiastic people I always saw when I came into a branch, or was playing in there with my siblings. I hope they make him feel like family the same way they made me feel.
Because, bottom line, that's what Apple FCU has always been to me: family.
