By Olivia Anderson | [email protected]

The United States Senate Federal Credit Union celebrated the opening of its flagship HQ branch in Alexandria with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The building, formerly home to the National Industries for the Blind, is located across the street from the Braddock Place Metro Station at 1310 Braddock Place and is nicknamed the Bertie Bowman Building.

Bowman is a Capitol Hill staffer for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and, with 46 years at the Senate Federal Credit Union, its longest serving board member.

Bowman started with the credit union in 1966 as a member of the Credit Committee and joined the Board of Directors in 1975. He helped steer the USSFCU from a few million in assets to over $1 billion.

Attendees to the Sept. 23 ceremony included Mayor Justin Wilson and Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Joe Haggerty.