Since 1933, our members have put their trust in The Bear. Due to the efforts of our Founder, Douglas Argyle Campbell, “California State Employees Credit Union No. 3,” was chartered on August 31, 1933 by the State of California. Our original field of membership was limited to State employees who worked "south of the Tehachapi Mountains."

Like the Golden State, our Credit Union has changed, grown and evolved to where it is today. In 1983, we merged with the Southern Bear State Employees Credit Union. Since 1990, the Credit Union has completed six mergers with other credit expanding our field of membership to what it is today.

We have also grown by adding select employer groups, such as Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services and All American Home Centers, to our field of membership. Additionally we serve a number of other public agencies including the Community Redevelopment Agency and Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.

To expand our reach even further, in January of 2006, we were approved to add the community of Metro Los Angeles to our Field of Membership.  This community consists of 36 zip codes in and around downtown Los Angeles.

In August of 2006 United Defense Federal Credit Union voted to become a part of California Bear Credit Union and change it’s name to United Defense Credit Union. The United Defense Federal Credit Union was organized in 1956 by a group of Defense Contract Administrators to help develop habits of thrift, provide loans to fellow workers at reasonable rates, and to extend competent financial counseling services. With the addition of United Defense Credit Union to the Cal Bear family we will have over 18,000 members and over $120 million in assets.