Colorado credit unions host Irish-American exchange
Three-day exchange focused on organizational improvements in different environments
MADISON, WI (August 26, 2019) — Elevations Credit Union, in conjunction with Canvas Credit Union, hosted Ireland-based Core Credit Union Ltd. to explore strategy and best business practices during a three-day exchange—coordinated with the assistance of World Council of Credit Unions’ President and CEO Brian Branch.
Mutual challenges face the Irish and U.S. credit union systems. In response, the World Council, through its Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions and the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU), offers an Irish-American Exchange program designed to align need and expertise on both sides of the Atlantic to address short- and long-term challenges.
The goal of this particular exchange was focused on improving credit unions from both countries through communication and partnership.
“Core Credit Union Ltd. has grown rapidly in the previous few years. When helping to identify who would most benefit from this type of collaboration, the credit union seemed like a natural fit,” noted Branch.
The exchange specifically focused on:
- lending.
- technology growth.
- regulatory investment and finance.
- governance.
Leaders from all three credit unions—and board members from Elevations and Canvas—participated in the numerous briefings on strategy and business model.
“This was a unique opportunity to work with credit unions who operate in different environments. I’m thrilled with how much each organization gained from this experience and know that our membership will prosper from the wisdom shared. Co-hosting Core Credit Union Ltd. with Canvas Credit Union gave us the chance to absorb insight into their operations, while sharing our knowledge on growth and other important topics relevant to the credit union. We are excited to continue the multi-year mutual exchange of information between our three organizations,” stated Gerry Agnes, Elevations President and CEO.
“I’m really jazzed today,” said Todd Marksberry, Canvas Credit Union’s President and CEO. “Collaboration is one of the many gifts of our industry. Credit unions talk about collaboration a lot. We need to put our words into action even more often. This week, we did just that. I can feel the energy radiating from our Canvas leaders today. We love to learn and believe it is our mandate to serve and share. We are grateful to Core and Elevations’ teams for helping each of our organizations get better. We aim to transform financial services. We can bring that dream to life more quickly together than we would alone.”
About World Council of Credit Unions
World Council of Credit Unions is the global trade association and development platform for credit unions. World Council promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.
World Council has implemented 300+ technical assistance programs in 90 countries. Worldwide, 82,758 credit unions in 97 countries serve 404 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.
About Elevations Credit Union
Elevations Credit Union is a member-owned not-for-profit financial institution serving Colorado’s Front Range. Elevations provides a broad portfolio of financial products and services including checking and savings accounts, mortgage loans, credit cards, auto loans, home equity loans, student loans, business loans and financial planning. Founded in 1953 as the U of C Federal Credit Union in Boulder, Elevations has grown from 12 members and less than $100 in assets to an institution with more than 140,000 members that manages more than $2 billion in assets and is the No. 1 credit union mortgage lender in Colorado. In 2014, Elevations earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. In 2015 and 2016, Elevations was named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Colorado in the large company category. Readers of local newspapers name Elevations “Best Bank/Financial Institution,” “Best Mortgage Lender” and “Best Customer Service” year after year. To learn more, visit elevationscu.com.
