Double-digit loan growth in 2018 at Jacksonville's Community First CU

Community First Credit Union of Florida reported increases in assets, deposits, loans, members and net income in 2018.

The Jacksonville-based institution recently released its 2018 financial report and held its annual meeting, highlighting a number of key statistics for the past year, including:

• Total assets climbed to $1.64 billion, an increase of more than 8 percent from 2017
• Total deposits increased by more than 8 percent to $1.4 billion, the highest level in the credit union’s history
• The total loan portfolio grew to a record $1.15 billion (a 12 percent increase over the prior year)
• Commercial banking deposits increased to almost $65 million, more than a 14 percent increase
• Membership grew by 7 percent to 134,800.

Two key metrics also had increases way beyond those figures. Mortgage originations climbed by 50 percent to reach more than $91 million. Similarly, net income was up by 50 percent to $20 million. According to NCUA call report data, the credit union’s employee compensation and benefit costs and non-interest expenses also dropped in 2018 compared to the prior year.

“Community First continues to fill a need in our community for accessible, affordable and local financial services and products,” John Hirabayashi, president and CEO of Community First, said in a statement. “Our successes are a culmination of the innovation and improvements made during the last several years as we have rapidly expanded to meet this need.”

As reported, late last year, Community First purchased a former branch of Atlantic Coast Bank in Neptune Beach, Fla., which will re-open as one of its own branches by 2020.

Community First CU 2018 financials - CUJ 032019

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