In 1935, a Columbus firefighter needed a truck. After being denied a loan, his fellow firefighters came together to help.
They pooled together some money, giving their colleague the financial support he could not find elsewhere. Founded at the Old Station 16 House, CME Federal Credit Union started with that act of mutual aid.
“They came together just like a lot of credit unions, a cigar box came out and a credit union was formed,” Cassie Gress, CME’s Digital Marketing and Partnerships Manager said.
More than 90 years later, CME has expanded far beyond its beginnings at Columbus Fire Station 16. The credit union now serves people throughout central Ohio, including Delaware County, but the original mission remains central to how it operates.
“They are the ones showing up for us in our hardest moments. You don’t call 911 on a good day, so we like to be able to show up for them when they need us,” Gress said.
CME was initially created for Columbus firefighters before expanding to include law enforcement officers and other municipal employees. Like many credit unions, membership was once connected to a person’s employer or profession.
Membership rules changed as CME became a community-chartered credit union.
“You do not have to work at a certain place to be a member here,” Gress said.
When a credit union becomes community-chartered, they are member-owned, and people who live, work, worship, volunteer or attend school within a particular geographic boundary can become a member. CME covers eight counties, including Delaware.
Membership in practice
The distinction between a credit union and a traditional commercial bank begins with that sense of ownership.
CME is a not-for-profit financial institution owned by its members. A person who opens an account is not just a customer, but a member-owner with a stake in the organization. Rather than distributing profits to outside investors, credit unions reinvest earnings into the institution and its membership.
That can be represented in competitive loan rates, stronger savings rates, fewer fees and services intended to support members’ long-term financial health.
For Delaware resident Kim Knore, member since 2024 that difference is evident in everyday interactions.
Knore knows the managers, assistants, and tellers by name, and they know her. That sense of familiarity creates a different experience from walking into a large financial institution where customers may feel like their account numbers rather than people.
“They’re more community minded, more membership minded. It’s been a long time, really, since I’ve been in a bank, but a lot of the banks, at least in the last several years, are a little more business-oriented. They want you to take out loans. They want to do more financial transactions. They try to sell you more. But the credit unions just they’re more personable and they’re owned by the members, so they don’t have to really push products,” Knore said.
Knore belongs to another credit union and regularly uses CME’s shared branching services, which allow members of participating credit unions to complete certain transactions at another credit union’s branch.
“The shared branching and banking possibilities are really good for me personally,” Knore said.
CME offers free financial counseling through its branches, with staff members who have completed credit union financial counselor training.
Those conversations may cover rebuilding a credit score, managing credit card debt, preparing for a major purchase or navigating the financial consequences of a divorce or other life change.
“Being able to be that backbone for people and keep them from shoving stuff under the rug and just letting it fester and get worse is a great feeling. It’s letting them know they’re supported, and it’s not anything to be ashamed of,” Gress said.
That does not mean CME only steps in during emergencies. The credit union also helps members finance first vehicles, purchase homes, build savings and prepare for milestones they have spent years working toward.
Walking the walk
The credit union continues to support the first responder community where its story began, including police and fire academy graduations and National Night Out events. CME also supports Central Ohio Crime Stoppers and the Forrester Foundation, which provides resources to first responders and their families during times of need.
But as CME’s membership has expanded, so has its community involvement.
Financial education has become a particular focus. CME employees provide financial literacy programs for students from elementary through high school and are working to develop student-run credit unions that give young people hands-on experience with saving, banking and making financial decisions.
CME also shows up at farmers markets, libraries, schools and community events throughout central Ohio. In Delaware, the branch has hosted events that give members and neighbors a chance to connect outside of a typical banking transaction.
That member-focused approach has also earned recognition beyond central Ohio. In 2025, Forbes named CME the No. 1 credit union in Ohio.
More than 90 years after a group of Columbus firefighters came together to help one of their own, CME has grown from serving first responders to serving communities across central Ohio.
To learn more about CME and the services available, visit their website: https://cmefcu.org/
