NAPERVILLE, IL (November 28, 2017) — The Illinois Credit Union League is pleased to announce the promotion of Ashley Sharp to Vice President State Advocacy/Legislative Counsel, effective Monday, November 27. Ashley has served the League for nearly five years, most recently in the role of Legislative Counsel & Director of State Advocacy.
“Ashley does a great job in our advocacy program,” said Stephen Olson, COO and General Counsel for the Illinois Credit Union League. “She is a very talented lobbyist, plus she is also a very skilled attorney. Her attention to detail and precision in drafting bills, analytical summaries and fact sheets are very high. Her communication skills are superb, which is why she often leads our efforts with particular legislators, staffers and other associations with whom we collaborate on initiatives. She is a key contact for us with the Governor’s office.”
A graduate of the Southern Illinois University School of Law, Sharp came to ICUL in 2013, after working as an attorney and lobbyist for the Illinois Municipal League. In her various roles, Ashley has focused on building positive relationships with members of the Illinois General Assembly, in order to educate them on the vital role credit unions play in our state. In addition, Ashley’s primary responsibilities include working toward the passage of legislation favorable to the credit union industry, as well as working to ensure that measures which would have a negative impact on credit union operations are not advanced.
“During the past five years, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent our members before the Illinois General Assembly,” said Sharp. “It is very rewarding to see our legislative initiatives enacted into law and ultimately provide meaningful reforms for credit unions in Illinois. My career has advanced thanks to the support of my colleagues internally, as well as our member credit unions, and I look forward to many more years of service to our industry.”
“Ashley’s promotion is well-deserved as she is a tremendous asset to ICUL’s advocacy team,” added Keith Sias-ICUL’s SVP Governmental Affairs. “She is well respected by members of the General Assembly and works tirelessly on behalf of ICUL’s members.”
ICUL’s lobbying team consisting of: Stephen Olson, EVP, General Counsel and COO, Keith Sias, SVP-Governmental Affairs, Ashley Sharp, VP State Advocacy/Legislative Counsel, Joe Lyons-Retained Lobbyist are present in the State Capitol each legislative day advocating for the interests of ICUL’s member credit unions. The Governmental Affairs team is rounded out by Pat Huffman, Political Action Director, as well as support staff Debbie Bindler (Naperville) and Jennifer Midden (Springfield).
The Illinois Credit Union League (ICUL) is the primary trade association for 212 state and federal credit unions in Illinois. It focuses on providing legislative and regulatory advocacy, compliance assistance and information, and a wide range of educational and training services to those credit unions, who in turn serve approximately 3.4 million members. More information can be found at www.icul.com.
Melissa Vidito
Illinois Credit Union System
630-983-3400
melissa.vidito@envisant.com
