BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) is a state-chartered community credit union with more than $2.4 billion in assets and headquartered in Lawrence, Massachusetts. BrightBridge currently serves approximately 124,000 members, primarily in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut. BrightBridge operates 23 retail branches located in Amesbury, Bridgewater, Brookline, Danvers, Dorchester, Fairhaven, Haverhill, Hanover, Lawrence, Marlborough, Methuen, North Andover, Plymouth, Quincy, Springfield, Tewksbury, Waltham, West Springfield and Worcester, Mass., plus Plaistow and Seabrook, N.H. and Enfield, CT. BrightBridge also serves many employer groups, including two major Massachusetts employers, Raytheon Technologies and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. BrightBridge offers a wide range of savings and loan products, commercial services and digital banking to meet the financial needs of a growing member base.
The BrightBridge Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public charitable foundation affiliated with BrightBridge Credit Union that fosters financial wellness and promotes financial literacy and community involvement. Founded in 2011, the BrightBridge Foundation is a natural outgrowth of the Credit Union’s commitment to community activities and financial literacy as a key component of financial health efforts.
Our dedicated Board of Directors & Management team puts you first in all we do.
1955: MVCU is founded as the Communications Workers Employee Credit Union by Union Local 1365 in North Andover, MA. The name quickly changed to Merrimack Valley Credit Union. G. Harvey Ellis was our first General Manager.
1962: We reached the $1 million in assets milestone! Duncan MacLeod is now the General Manager.
1990s: Our field of membership opened up to serve more than 200 employer groups in the Merrimack Valley as well as their family members.
2005: MVCU converted to a community charter, allowing us to serve eligible members in the Merrimack Valley. Peter J. Matthews Jr. is the President & CEO.
2007: Our Corporate Office moved to Lawrence, MA, and we have five branches.
2016: We opened our sixth branch in Seabrook, NH.
2018: MVCU became a state-chartered credit union.
2019: MVCU merged with Bridgewater Credit Union, allowing us to serve members both in the Merrimack Valley and the south-shore region of Massachusetts. John J. Howard became our President & CEO.
2020: MVCU merged with the Ocean Spray Employees Federal Credit Union, expanding our field of membership to include all Ocean Spray employees and contract growers.
2021: MVCU expanded the field of membership to include additional counties in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
2023: MVCU merged with RTN Federal Credit Union to welcome 40,000 additional members of RTN's Select Employer Groups and community members.
2025: MVCU merged with Cabot Boston Credit Union, providing 800 new members with a wider choice of products and services as well as greater convenience.
2025: MVCU becomes BrightBridge Credit Union.
2026: BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) merges with Arrha Credit Union (Arrha). The newly merged credit union will operate under the BrightBridge Credit Union name with 23 retail branches, combined assets of nearly $2.4 billion and approximately 125,000 members.
We are a financially sound and well-capitalized credit union. What this means is that we can expand the products and services we offer to better fit your financial needs. Despite our growth, our passion for serving our members has never wavered. We have your best interest at heart!
News
BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) is proud to continue its partnership with the Plymouth Public Library Foundation (PPLF) through a $7,500 donation, marking the fourth consecutive year the credit union has supported the nonprofit organization and its efforts to enrich the Plymouth community. The donation will help fund a variety of community-focused programs and events hosted by the foundation through 2026, including the golf tournament and Taste of the Town. The PPLF supports the Plymouth Public Library’s mission of providing educational, cultural and lifelong learning opportunities for residents of all ages. Each year, the foundation helps make hundreds of programs and community resources possible through fundraising and advocacy.
BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) is proud to announce that it has been named “Best Credit Union” in the 2026 Best of Haverhill recognition program, presented by the Eagle-Tribune. This marks the second consecutive year BrightBridge has received the honor, reflecting the continued trust and support of the Haverhill community. The annual Best of Haverhill program recognizes local businesses and organizations selected by community members. For BrightBridge, the recognition is a testament to the dedication of its talented Haverhill branch team members, who serve more than 13,300 members and process an average of 4,900 transactions each month.
During the weekend of Aug. 1, 2026, BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) successfully completed a core systems conversion with the former Arrha Credit Union, completing a process that enables all former Arrha members to access the full suite of BrightBridge products, services and digital banking capabilities. The successful conversion completes a merger that brought together two community-focused credit unions with a shared commitment to exceptional member service, financial empowerment and community impact. All former Arrha Credit Union branches have been rebranded as BrightBridge, creating a unified member experience across the organization. The combined credit union now serves approximately 117,000 members through a network of 23 retail branches and manages more than $2.4 billion in assets.
BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) and the BrightBridge Foundation are proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Officer Paul Tracey Memorial Scholarship, recognizing two outstanding Waltham High School graduates who plan to pursue careers dedicated to serving their communities. The scholarship was established in 2025 to honor the life and legacy of Officer Paul Tracey, a longtime Waltham police officer who was killed in the line of duty in December 2023
BrightBridge Credit Union (BrightBridge) awarded $26,500 in scholarships to 18 exceptional students during its annual scholarship awards ceremony, recognizing their academic achievements, leadership and dedication to their communities. BrightBridge’s scholarship program supports students across its field of membership as they pursue higher education. This year, the credit union received more than 700 applications from students representing 350 high schools, making it one of the most competitive applicant pools in the program’s history.
