A Legacy of People Helping People Since 1937
Founded in January 1937 by General Electric employees as Schenectady G.E. Turbine Department's Federal Credit Union #1884, Sunmark has grown from a small employee credit union to serve communities across New York.
Key Milestones
- 1973-1995: First stand-alone branch opened at 1616 Broadway in Schenectady (1973). Became Turbine Federal Credit Union (1983). Added branches in GE Building 33 (1986) and Glenville (1995).
- 1997-2005: Members chose the name "Sunmark" (1997). Opened membership to Schenectady, Albany, Saratoga, and Rensselaer counties (2002). Added Montgomery and Schoharie counties (2005).
- 2020: Converted to state charter as Sunmark Credit Union. Expanded to serve eight additional New York counties plus business associations outside the state.
We continue serving with our founding principle: People helping People.
Sunmark History FAQs
Learn more about Sunmark's journey from a small employee credit union to today's full-service financial institution.In 1997, our members helped choose the name "Sunmark" to better reflect our broader member base beyond just General Electric employees. The name represented our expanding community service and bright future serving New York families and businesses.
Following our 2020 state charter conversion, Sunmark serves members in Warren, Fulton, Columbia, Greene, Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Schenectady, Albany, Saratoga, Rensselaer, Montgomery, and Schoharie counties, plus business associations outside New York State.
In 2002, Sunmark opened membership to anyone living or working in Schenectady, Albany, Saratoga, and Rensselaer counties. We've continued expanding our service area, most recently in 2020 when we became a state-chartered credit union.
Our first stand-alone financial center opened in 1973 at 1616 Broadway in Schenectady, which still serves as our Schenectady financial center today. This historic location represents our deep roots in the New York community.
"People helping People" is the foundational credit union philosophy that has guided Sunmark since our founding in 1937. It means we exist to serve our members' financial needs, not to generate profits for shareholders, creating a cooperative community focused on mutual success.
