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40 CU Professionals Become Certified CU Development Educators
Foundation’s CU Philosophy Training held May 1-8 in Madison
MADISON, WI (May 13, 2013) Forty credit union professionals became Credit Union Development Educators (CUDEs) last week after being guided by eight dedicated program facilitators and mentors through the intensive Credit Union Development Education (DE) Training from the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF). The May 1-8, 2013 training was held at the Lowell Center on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis.
Team Projects
DE Training provides critical lessons in cooperative principles and credit union philosophy while incorporating challenges credit unions face today. During the recent week-long program, participants were involved in group exercises, field trips, issue discussions with speakers from around the credit union system, and are required to complete team projects proposing solutions for credit unions to help alleviate or eliminate challenging situations in any given area.
“During DE training, we work to ensure the lessons in credit union philosophy are applicable and relevant to current events,” said Lois Kitsch, DE Facilitator and NCUF National Program Director. “For example, for the final case studies, participants worked through and presented solutions to critical issues that included credit union solutions to payday lending, a small credit union merger dilemma, the low-income designation, building an Islamic banking center, developing a credit union awareness campaign, and league consolidation.”
“The DE experience was an opportunity to top off my tank of passion for assisting our members and the communities we serve,” said Spring DE Training attendee Jim Morrell, President/CEO of Peninsula Credit Union in Shelton, Wash. “Through experiential learning, collaboration, and engaging with bright minds from within and around the credit union industry, the program ignites synergy in many different ways. Together CUDEs will drive the passion that our industry needs to ‘Unite for Good’ and continue to benefit millions of credit union members in this country and around the world.”
Class Graduates
The Spring 2013 graduating class included credit union movement representatives from across the U.S., the Caribbean, and from the Philippines. They are: Sam Adams, State ECU in North Carolina; Linda Birt, Peoples Trust FCU in Texas; Emma Boczar, Boulevard FCU in New York; Dean Borland, Credit Union Resources Inc. in Texas; Tom Candell, National Credit Union Foundation in Wisconsin; Megan Carpenter, Champion CU in North Carolina; Holly Carter, Central City CU in Wisconsin; Jama Dagenhart, State ECU in North Carolina; Randall Dixon, Energey Capital CU in Texas; Jamila Draper, PSCU Credit Union Cooperative Society in Trinidad; Don Emmer, Best Advantage CU in Wisconsin; Lindsay Hanson, Heritage CU in Wisconsin; Chris Kemm, Mountain West CU Association in Colorado; Karen Knowlton, Champion CU in North Carolina; Patrick La Pine, League of Southeastern CUs in Florida; Becky LaFontaine, Northeast Regional FCU in Connecticut; Tracy Lennox, Northeast Regional CU in Missouri; Alana Listoe, Montana CU Network in Montana; Vanessa Lowe, National Credit Union Administration in Virginia; Stacey Mills, Welcome FCU in North Carolina; Vanessa Molla, Members CU in Connecticut; Jim Morrell, Peninsula CU in Washington; Graham Nesbitt, BIU Members CU Co-Op Society in Bermuda; Amy Nigrelli, Credit Union National Association in Wisconsin; Lisett Olsen, Alhambra CU in Arizona; David Paltza, Evangelical Christian CU in California; Arna Reynolds, Amarillo Community FCU in Texas; Carla Schrinner, Credit Union National Association in Wisconsin; Shirley Senn, Corporate America CU in California; Toni Silbernagel, Maps CU in Oregon; Kim Stephenson, State ECU in North Carolina; David Tuyo, Lending Solutions Inc. in Florida; Kathy Varese, CUNA Mutual Group in Wisconsin; Rudz Villanueva, National Confederation of Cooperatives in Philippines; Christine Walsh Rogers, Tapco CU in Washington; Grant Weiland, CU Association of Oklahoma in Oklahoma; Jamie Wenger, CUNA Mutual Group in Wisconsin; Adena Whitman, League of Southeastern CUs in Florida; Tawna Wolfe, Tarrant County CU in Texas; and Lisa Wyman, Complex Community FCU in Texas.
Upcoming 2013 DE Training
The next DE Training will be held at the Lowell Center in Madison, Wis. on September 4-11, 2013. Registration is still open and can be found on the NCUF website by clicking the “Register for DE Training” button on the homepage or anywhere on the website under “Foundation Programs>Development Education>Register for September 2013 DE Training” at the top of every page.
More Attendee Testimonials from the Spring 2013 DE Training
“DE training is designed to help both new and veteran credit union professionals understand the history and philosophy of the credit union movement as well as how each of us can play a meaningful role in its future success,” said Patrick La Pine, President/CEO of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions in Tallahassee, Fla.
“DE training is a life and career changing immersion into the history, philosophy and issues that transformed how I think about why and how we do our jobs within the credit union movement,” said Christine Walsh Rogers, Director of Marketing at Tapco Credit Union in Fircrest, Wash. “The relationships I have built here will provide me a network of the most committed, innovative and intelligent people I have ever had the chance to work and learn with. From tackling local to international issues, together we are stronger in the true cooperative spirit.”
“My experience at DE training was eye-opening and inspirational,” said Lisett Olsen, Business Development Officer at Alhambra CU in Phoenix, Ariz. “We need to go out and tell our story so we can keep the unique legacy and vision of our founders alive of ‘people helping people.’ The DE program is the electricity that we need to light our continuing path to the future.”
More about the DE Program
The mission of the Credit Union Development Education (DE) program is to promote credit unions’ social responsibility and domestic and international development through interactive adult education and professional networking. By linking credit unions’ past and present, the DE program brings renewed relevance to credit unions’ seven cooperative principles and the philosophy of “People Helping People.”
Since 1982, more than 1,000 credit union advocates from over 30 countries have graduated from DE Training to become Credit Union Development Educators (CUDEs). Once they earn their CUDE designation, people return to their jobs with a sense of personal enrichment and renewed energy to share what they have learned. This growing corps of credit union advocates devotes professional and volunteer time to spreading the credit union message to audiences throughout the country.
The National Credit Union Foundation is the primary sponsor of the DE program. Support is provided by CUNA Mutual Group, the Credit Union National Association, the World Council of Credit Unions, state foundations and leagues.
For more information on the DE program, visit www.ncuf.coop under Foundation Programs.
About the National Credit Union Foundation (ncuf.coop)
The National Credit Union Foundation is the US credit union movement’s primary national philanthropic program provider, fundraiser and grant-maker, working to help consumers achieve financial freedom through credit unions. Through NCUF grants and programs, credit unions provide widespread financial education, create greater access to affordable financial services, and empower more consumers to save, build assets, and own homes.
NCUF is funded primarily by investments in the award-winning Community Investment Fund (CIF) and by generous Corporate Supporters led by the Credit Union National Association and CUNA Mutual. All NCUF donors provide support that empowers NCUF and state credit union foundations to make financial freedom achievable through credit unions.
The National Credit Union Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. NCUF continues to earn the Better Business Bureau seal of approval as an “Accredited Charity” for meeting all 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for national charities.