Bethpage Federal Credit Union said 2012 was a record year forNew York State's largest credit union.

The 212,000-member Long Island institution said this week itsyear-end results include record net income of $57 million, a 38%increase compared to 2011 and deposit growth of $536 million, 13%over 2011.

“2012 was a memorable year for Bethpage as we maintained ourposition as the largest credit union in New York State and alsogrew to become the largest credit union in the Northeast, withasset growth reaching an all-time high of $5.1 billion,” said KirkKordeleski, Bethpage FCU president/CEO.

“As we enter 2013, and certainly following the wrath of Hurricane Sandy, now is a pivotal time for Long Island to getback on its feet. The outlook is good and I expect Bethpage'sgrowth to continue,” he said.

Kordeleski said lending has been particularly active, driven inpart by record low mortgage rates.

“We've seen demand in home equity borrowing and refinancing, inauto loans, and in our commercial lending business, illustrating tome that consumer confidence is growing and people are overall, morepositive about the economy,” he said.

Last year, the credit union funded $1.9 billion in loans, a 30%increase over 2011, and included mortgages, consumer loans,business lending and commercial real estate.

“Lending is the primary revenue source for Bethpage andmortgages were responsible for half of our annual income,”Kordeleski said. Bethpage also funded $176 million in auto loans in2012, an 80% increase compared to 2011.

Bethpage said it also continued to expand its growing commerciallending business, which in 2012, represented 10% of its loanproduction, or $195 million, a 15% increase over 2011.

Following on Bank Transfer Day, in 2012, 33,440 new members joined Bethpage,a 26% increase compared to 2011. 28,064 new checking accounts werealso opened, a 22% increase over the previous year, the creditunion said.

The credit union said it plans to add nine to 12 branches overthe next three years to its 26 now operating throughout Nassau andSuffolk counties. In 2012, Bethpage also increased the numberof its surcharge-free ATMs, now totaling more than 425, on LongIsland alone. Bethpage FCU was approved for the largestfederal community charter in the U.S. in 2003.