Press

2015 Tennessee Credit Union Hall of Fame Inductees

NASHVILLE, TN (May 22, 2015) — The Tennessee Credit Union League (TCUL) and Volunteer Corporate Credit Union (VolCorp) recently inducted three deserving individuals into the Tennessee Credit Union Hall of Fame at the TCUL Annual Convention and Expo in Gatlinburg, TN. Jointly sponsored by the TCUL and VolCorp, induction into the Tennessee Credit Union Hall of Fame is awarded annually to recognize the commitment, leadership, and dedication that deserving individuals from the state have made to the credit union movement.

The 2015 inductees into the Tennessee Credit Union Hall of Fame are:

• Janice Jones, President/CEO, United Southeast Federal Credit Union
• Jim Ward, Director, Ascend Federal Credit Union
• Alwin “Rusty” Girdner, Former President/CEO Tennessee Credit Union League

With 44 years’ experience at United Southeast Federal Credit Union, Janice Jones provides outstanding leadership to the credit union and the Bristol community. While overseeing a $148 million dollar financial institution, she is very active in the community. She is a member of the Bristol Morning Rotary Club; has given volunteer hours to the Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachian by serving on their Board; serves on the Board of the Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce; served on the CUNA’s Federal Credit Union Subcommittee for four years, and most recently, served as a board member for Volunteer Corporate Credit Union.

Mr. Jim Ward has served as a volunteer with Ascend Federal Credit Union for 32 years. He began serving as a member of the Supervisory Committee in 1983, a position he held until 1988 when he was elected to the Board of Directors. During his time on the Board, he held the positions of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary. Through regular attendance at Board meetings, Mr. Ward’s service is vitally important to the purpose, mission, and vision of the credit union. Mr. Ward has completed the CUNA Volunteer Achievement Program where he received the following awards: Board of Director Award, Regulatory Compliance Award, and the Edward R. Filene Award.

Rusty Girdner began his work in the credit union movement back in 1958 with the Texas Credit Union League. He moved to Tennessee to serve as the President of the Tennessee Credit Union League from 1973 until he retired in 1988. Rusty served as League President during a time when the needs of all credit unions, large and small, were more similar than different, and many changes were taking place in the credit union movement. During his tenure, the League chartered new credit unions and assisted credit unions operationally by creating a new batch data processing program, audit program, statement mailing and printing department, and correspondent debit and credit card programs. Sadly, this pioneer in Tennessee Credit Union history passed in April 2015.

The Tennessee Credit Union League (TCUL) was formed in 1934 as a 501C-3 non-profit trade association for Tennessee credit unions. The League’s mission is to promote and support the success and advancement of credit unions in meeting their service and structural goals.

Volunteer Corporate Credit Union (VolCorp) is a not-for-profit financial cooperative that serves natural person credit unions nationally. Guided by a volunteer board of directors, VolCorp was organized for the express purpose of providing low-cost financial services and competitive investment and lending rates to our member/owners.

---