SUNNYVALE, CA – In a recent conversation with 98.1 The Breeze host Tony Sandoval for iHeartRadio’s CEOs You Should Know series, Star One Credit Union President and CEO Minal Gupta shared insights on financial innovation, member advocacy and Star One’s upcoming 70th anniversary.
Reflecting on her transition from over two decades in commercial banking to the credit union sector, Gupta emphasized the unique collaborative culture that defines credit unions.
"Coming from the banking world, you are there to compete against different banks. The biggest change I experienced going from banking to a credit union was that we are there to support and help each other thrive," said Gupta. "We are much more open and collaborative as a community to help each other because we are here to serve a common purpose."
That common purpose centers on delivering maximum value back to members through higher deposit yields, lower lending rates and minimized fees. To illustrate Star One’s focused approach to financial services, Gupta drew an analogy to an iconic West Coast favorite: In-N-Out Burger.
"What I love about In-N-Out is they put quality over everything," Gupta explained. "Instead of being a jack of all trades and master of none, they perfect what they have and deliver it well. And that's what we do at Star One too…Our model is we want to win people with their trust. We want to put people over profits."
Beyond member-first service, the interview highlighted Star One’s position as a digital innovator in Silicon Valley. When the Federal Reserve launched its real-time payment network, FedNow, Star One emerged as the top institution in the nation for real-time payment volume.
"We represented the smaller players and paved a path forward to institutions that may feel technology is an unattainable goal," Gupta noted. "Our members want easy access to their money, and they want to move their money at the speed of light, so having that availability and providing that availability to consumers was the biggest pinpoint for me to take away that friction."
As Star One prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary, growing from its origins serving Lockheed Martin employees to supporting more than 136,000 members across Silicon Valley and adjacent counties, Gupta remains focused on empowering members through every stage of their financial journey.
You can listen to the full interview here.
About Star One
Since its founding in 1956, Star One Credit Union has maintained a strong presence in the San Francisco Bay Area with deep roots in Silicon Valley’s culture of innovation. Today, Star One is a full-service financial institution with over 136,000 members and assets exceeding $9.8 billion. Membership extends to individuals and families in Santa Clara, Alameda, Merced, Monterey, San Joaquin, San Mateo, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Stanislaus counties. Star One ranks 35th in total assets among more than 4,200 credit unions nationwide and for over 10 years has returned more direct financial benefits to members than any other credit union in the country. Beyond financial services, Star One Credit Union remains deeply committed to the communities it serves. To learn more, visit https://www.starone.org/.
