Saginaw, Mich. — Team One Credit Union and CASE Credit Union announced on May 5 that they intend to combine into a single Michigan-based credit union, with the merger expected to take effect in January 2027 pending regulatory approval. The two institutions are branding the partnership as "Bolder Together."
Both credit unions trace their origins to mid-1930s Michigan educator groups: Team One was founded in 1935 by Saginaw-area educators, and CASE was founded in 1936 to serve educators in the Lansing region. The Team One CASE merger would bring the two cooperatives together roughly 90 years later.
What the combined credit union would look like
On a pro forma basis using NCUA 5300 Call Report data, the combined institution would hold approximately $1.2 billion in assets, $823 million in loans, and $1.0 billion in deposits, serving 74,498 members across 17 branches in Michigan. That asset base would position the new entity at roughly No. 418 by assets among the 4,374 federally insured credit unions in NCUA's most recent quarterly data.
Both balance sheets are entering the combination from healthy positions. Team One reports a 9.49% net worth ratio and 0.515% ROA on $765 million in assets and 47,319 members. CASE, the smaller of the two at $396 million in assets and 27,179 members, runs at a 10.94% net worth ratio and 0.800% ROA. Combined, the institution pencils out to roughly a 9.98% net worth ratio and 0.612% ROA — well above the NCUA's 7% well-capitalized threshold.
The combined loan book skews more toward business lending than the typical Michigan credit union, with business loans accounting for roughly 32% of the combined portfolio, real estate at 31%, auto at 25%, and credit cards at 6%. Combined delinquency runs at 0.717% and net charge-offs at 0.537%, with a loan-to-share ratio of 81.18%.
Two educator-rooted Michigan credit unions
Team One, headquartered in Saginaw, currently operates 12 branches concentrated across the Saginaw Bay and Thumb regions, with locations in Bay City, Bad Axe, Caro, Flint, Owosso, Sandusky, and Traverse City in addition to its Saginaw-area branches. Derrick Barber serves as CEO. CASE, headquartered in Lansing, operates five branches across Lansing, East Lansing, and Okemos, and is led by president and CEO Jeffrey Benson.
The combined branch footprint would stretch from Traverse City in the north down through Saginaw, Bay City, and Flint to the Lansing metro — a contiguous mid-Michigan corridor with no overlapping branch locations between the two institutions.
What members can expect
According to the Bolder Together FAQ posted by Team One, members of both credit unions will see no immediate changes to accounts, debit and credit cards, or digital banking, and can continue using their current branches. Both institutions said no immediate name changes are planned and that any future operational changes would be communicated to members in advance. Deposits remain federally insured by the NCUA.
The credit unions said the combination is intended to expand member services, accelerate technology investment, and strengthen long-term stability. The merger remains subject to regulatory approval and a member vote, both required under NCUA's merger rules, before the planned January 2027 effective date.
Combined financial figures in this article are pro forma estimates derived from NCUA 5300 Call Report data using an additive methodology and do not reflect operational synergies, branch consolidation, or one-time merger costs. Sources: Team One Credit Union "Bolder Together" announcement (teamonecu.org/bolder-together); WNEM TV5 reporting (May 5, 2026); NCUA 5300 Call Report data.