Skip to main content
Forgot Password?  Register

Our History

Our History

Our history is a story of people uniting to support one another. Founded in 1936, Lōkahi Federal Credit Union has remained committed to serving our members with integrity, respect, commitment, and aloha. Over the years, we have grown alongside our community, expanding access and embracing new tools to enhance our members' experience. The milestones below highlight the moments that shaped who we are today. 

Foundations: 1930s to 1950s

1936

Our story began on October 31, 1936, when the credit union was established as Hawaiian Air Depot Employees (No. 1733) Federal Credit Union to serve civilian employees connected to the maintenance depot at Luke Field on

Mokuʻumeʻume (Ford Island). 

1938

When the Hawaiian Air Depot relocated and was reactivated as Hickam Field on September 15, 1938, we followed.

1941

In January 1941, the credit union hired its first full-time employee, Mr. E. C. Corn, to handle clerical and collection work. Later that year, on December 7, 1941, the credit union was directly impacted by the attack on Pearl Harbor. Treasurer P. W. Eldred was killed while attempting to reach the credit union, and a bomb hit the building, destroying most loan and share records. All records had to be reconstructed, and operations resumed on January 11, 1942.

1948

Following the creation of the Department of the Air Force and the United States Air Force in 1947, Hickam Field was renamed Hickam Air Force Base in 1948.

1950

We changed our name to Hickam Federal Credit Union in June 1950.

1951

Our field of membership expanded to include all military personnel stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, increasing membership from 1,040 to 1,824.

1959

In October 1959, we hit a major milestone when our assets exceeded $1,000,000 for the first time. 

Building Momentum: 1960s to 1970s

1966

We amended our charter to extend membership to retired U.S. Air Force personnel in Hawaiʻi and retired civilian employees of Hickam Air Force Base.

1971

Another milestone was achieved, as we surpassed $10,000,000 in assets.

1974

We opened a dedicated main branch facility on Hickam Air Force Base to better serve our growing membership.

Expanding Access: 1980s to 1990s

1984

We began offering ATM cards, giving members a new way to access their accounts beyond the branch.

 

1986

In 1986, we celebrated our golden anniversary, marking 50 years of service to our members.

1987

We reached another major milestone with assets exceeding $100,000,000, and we began installing our own in-house ATMs to expand convenient access for our members and our communities.

1993

Assets exceeded $200,000,000, doubling the milestone reached in 1987, and phone banking was launched to provide members 24/7 access to transactions by touch-tone phone.

1996

Building on new 24/7 services, we continued expanding ATM access to give members more convenient ways to access and manage their accounts, while marking 60 years of service.

1997

In June, we opened our Pearlridge Branch, a step that helped bring service closer to members in the surrounding community.

1999

In 1999, we became a community credit union, a pivotal shift that expanded membership to anyone who lived, worked, worshiped, or attended school in the ʻEwa District of Oʻahu.

Going Digital + Growing: 2000s

2000

In 2000, we launched our first website and established our online presence. That year, we also opened our Mililani Branch and reached $250,000,000 in assets.

2001

The following year brought a major step forward in digital access with the launch of Online Banking and Online Bill Payments. We also introduced Money Market accounts and our first debit card.

 

2002

We opened a branch at The Marketplace at Kapolei, bringing service closer to members in Kapolei and across Oʻahu’s Leeward Coast.

2004

Our Pearlridge Branch relocated to a larger, more modern space at Pearlridge Center’s Uptown section, now known as Mauka.

2006

We celebrated our 70th anniversary and installed eight new surcharge-free ATMs.

2008

We began offering free tax preparation through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides free basic tax return help for qualifying taxpayers, including lower-to-moderate income households, people with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers, a service we continue to offer today.

2009

Through an agreement with First Hawaiian Bank, we significantly expanded surcharge‑free ATM access across Hawaiʻi, enhancing convenience for our members.

Serving All of O'ahu: 2010s

2010

We joined forces with CO-OP Financial Services, now Velera, to provide members with access to more than 3,500 shared branch locations and 25,000 ATMs nationwide.

2011

In 2011, we celebrated 75 years of serving our members and expanded our field of membership to include the City and County of Honolulu, opening membership to all of Oʻahu. We also introduced eStatements for credit cardholders.

2012

Mobile Banking launched for iPhone and Android, giving members a new way to manage their accounts on the go.

2014

To support financial literacy in our community, we began partnering with Banzai to provide free financial education resources that support educators’ lesson planning and classroom instruction for middle and high school students across Oʻahu.

2015

We opened our first kiosk branch at Kāhala Mall to expand convenient access for members in Honolulu. That year, we also introduced Motorcycle Loans and added EMV chip technology to credit and debit cards for enhanced security.

 

2016

Eighty years after our founding, we celebrated eight decades of service to our members.

2017

Card management tools were introduced, expanding members’ ability to control card usage through our existing digital services.

2018

We opened our Pearl City Branch and headquarters office at 1260 Kuala Street in Pearl City, strengthening our ability to serve members across the island. That year, we also introduced our Youth and Young Adult accounts, along with support for Mobile Wallet, including Apple Wallet® and Google Wallet®.

2019

In 2019, we opened our Windward Mall branch in Kāneʻohe to better support members in Windward Oʻahu and the communities they call home.

A New Era: 2020s

2020

We launched our College Scholarship Program to support local students pursuing higher education and added a Coinstar coin-counting kiosk at our Pearl City Branch for added convenience.

2021

To reduce our environmental impact and make member updates more convenient, we transitioned our quarterly newsletter to primarily digital distribution.

That same year, we expanded everyday convenience by offering credit and debit cards with contactless technology, launched our First‑Time Borrower Program to help members start building borrowing history with confidence, and were recognized as Hawaiʻi’s #2 “Best‑In‑State Credit Union” by Forbes in its annual Best‑In‑State Credit Unions rankings.

2022

We were honored to earn the top spot in Hawaiʻi as the #1 “Best‑In‑State Credit Union” in Forbes’ annual Best‑In‑State Credit Unions rankings.

2023

To build on our efforts to reduce our environmental impact, we installed a 287-panel photovoltaic system on the roof of our Pearl City Branch. This system generates an average of 185 megawatt-hours of electricity each year, helping to offset our carbon emissions while also reducing our electricity expenses.

2024

We were notified that we had been selected for Newsweek Magazine’s America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions list, and we were featured in its 2025 rankings.

2025

On March 4, 2025, we began our next chapter as Lōkahi Federal Credit Union, a name chosen to reflect who we are today and the community we serve, while remaining true to our roots and the stories and values that shaped us. In ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, “Lōkahi” means unity, harmony, and accord, a reflection of our values and a respectful nod to the legacy that brought us here.

2026

We marked 90 years since our founding in 1936, celebrating generations of service to our members.
Lōkahi FCU Mobile App

Same friendly faces, now in the palm of your hand—download the Lōkahi Mobile App

App Details
Skip-A-Pay

Navigate your way through life's surprises by taking advantage of our all-new Skip-A-Pay program

Program Details
Credit Cards

Our credit cards feature competitively low interest rates, no annual fee and no balance transfer or cash advance fees.

Credit Card Details
First Time Borrower Program

This program provides first time borrowers an opportunity to build their credit.

Program Details
Become a Member

We have three convenient ways to open an account today.

Join Us