PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Greylock Federal Credit Union surpassed the 70,000 mark in April when it welcomed 18-year-old Andrew Bravo as a new member. Only 3 percent of the nation's credit unions have reached that number.

Since the Berkshires' population is only 131,000, the credit union can now claim more than half the county's residents as members.

Bravo, a recent graduate from Lenox Memorial and the school's valedictorian, opened his accounts at Greylock's historic Lee branch on 47 Main St. and got a $1,000 check toward his education.

"When we realized that our 70,000th member was a college-bound senior, we felt this $1,000 award was an appropriate way to mark the occasion," said Senior Vice President Pete Mirante.

Mirante said Bravo joined the credit union during Youth Week. "We had an excellent response to our promotions during that week, adding more than 60 members and opening more than 100 accounts."

Executive Vice President John Bissell said there are 7,442 credit unions in the United States and only 229 have reached the 70,000 mark in terms of membership, according to Callahan & Associates, a credit union consulting service.

"We appreciate the strong support of our membership in every area of Berkshire County," Bissell said, noting the credit union has had steady membership growth despite being confined to the county.

"We have built a billion-dollar institution one membership at a time," he continued. "The loyalty of our member/owners and their willingness to refer friends and family to the credit union is the key to our continued growth even as Berkshire County's population holds steady or declines. We thank each and every one of our members for helping us reach this milestone."