For over 85 years, Pioneer provided financial products to U.S. consumers. In 1986, Pioneer saw an opportunity to help the underserved military market, becoming the first stateside lender focused on personal loans for military personnel. While initially only serving customers through local offices in military communities, Pioneer Services was quick to leverage the speed and convenience of the internet to reach military stationed worldwide, becoming the first online personal lender exclusively serving U.S. military. For over 30 years, Pioneer helped 1.5 million military families with their financial needs. The company received national and local industry recognition for its responsible approach to lending, free financial education programs, and giving back to the military community. For the majority of the company’s existence, it was privately owned. In 2009 it became a part of the MidCountry family of companies and for the next decade operated as a division of a federal savings bank.