- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Florida Today
By the People, for the People
Third Federal Earns USA TODAY Customer Service Honor
Survey of 60,000 customer experiences puts Third Federal among top 500 U.S. financial firms for service in 2026.
Published on Mar. 10, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Third Federal Savings and Loan Association, a leading provider of savings and mortgage products, has been named among the top 500 financial services companies in the U.S. for customer service in 2026 by USA TODAY and its research partner, Plant-A Insights. The recognition is based on a survey of nearly 60,000 customer experiences that measured criteria such as professional competence, solution orientation, transparency, reliability, and friendliness.
Why it matters
This honor highlights Third Federal's commitment to providing outstanding customer service and building strong relationships with its clients, which is crucial in the highly competitive financial services industry. As a mutual association founded in 1938, Third Federal has maintained a focus on serving the needs of consumers, which has contributed to its success and growth over the decades.
The details
The top companies list was compiled from an initial group of 13,000 credit unions, banks, life insurers, and financial technology firms. Third Federal, which operates 21 full-service branches in Northeast Ohio, lending offices in Central and Southern Ohio, and 15 full-service branches throughout Florida, was recognized for its professional competence, solution orientation, transparency, reliability, and friendliness.
- The survey of nearly 60,000 customer experiences was conducted in 2026.
The players
Third Federal Savings and Loan Association
A leading provider of savings and mortgage products, founded in Cleveland in 1938 as a mutual association by Ben and Gerome Stefanski. Third Federal's mission is to help people achieve the dream of home ownership and financial security.
Marc A. Stefanski
The Chairman and CEO of Third Federal, who stated that the company is proud to receive this recognition for its commitment to customers.
USA TODAY
The national newspaper that partnered with Plant-A Insights to conduct the survey of customer experiences and compile the list of top 500 financial services companies for customer service.
Plant-A Insights
The research partner of USA TODAY that conducted the survey of nearly 60,000 customer experiences to determine the top 500 financial services companies for customer service.
What they’re saying
“We are proud to receive this recognition for our commitment to our customers. We know that we are in the relationship business as much as we are in the banking business, and we know when do what is best for our customers, we are doing what is best for Third Federal too.”
— Marc A. Stefanski, Chairman and CEO, Third Federal Savings and Loan Association
The takeaway
Third Federal's recognition as a top financial services company for customer service in 2026 demonstrates the company's long-standing commitment to building strong relationships with its clients and prioritizing their needs. This honor is a testament to Third Federal's values of love, trust, respect, excellence, and fun, which have guided the company's operations since its founding in 1938.
