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Fitzsimons Credit Union’s VP of Operations becomes Certified Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) in National Credit Union Foundation’s Leadership program

Nina Myers,  VP of Operations at Fitzsimons Credit Union, joined forty-five other credit union professionals in Madison, Wis. in a comprehensive training program to become Credit Union Development Educators (CUDEs). The training program took place during the week of September 13 – 20, 2017 and was organized by the National Credit Union Foundation.

The intensive Credit Union Development Education (DE) Training emphasized credit union philosophy principles, issues the cooperative movement is facing internationally, and incorporated the challenges credit unions are facing today and in the future, with the continuous evolving financial landscape. The program allowed credit union professionals to have discussions with credit union movement leaders and prioritized team projects to propose solutions to obstacles credit unions encounter daily. The case studies and topics of interest during the program included financial stability among young adults and families, credit union solutions to predatory lending, rejuvenating credit unions that are facing decline, increasing credit union board development engagement, engaging in the increasing issue of homelessness in America and the underbanked.

Once the program is over, credit union professionals return to their roles with renewed passion and impart the knowledge they have acquired on their credit union and the communities they serve. Programs like (DE) put emphasis on the credit union philosophy of, “people helping people” and help continue the key components that makes credit unions different from traditional banks. The individuals that complete this program make a commitment to take the credit union message to audiences across the globe and to continuously look for ways to make improvements to the cooperative structure.

After completing the September DE Training, Nina Myers, VP of Operations at Fitzsimons Credit Union, had this to say about the program, “Beyond just a training, this was a true-life experience.  While many classes can teach you the business side of running a credit union, becoming a development educator means focusing on the reasons why credit unions are truly a better choice for consumers.  We learned about the challenges our members face every day and how to approach our jobs from a place of empathy and understanding.”


About Fitzsimons Federal Credit Union

Fitzsimons Credit Union, A Partnering Credit Union is a community-based, not-for-profit financial cooperative, locally owned and controlled by the members who use its services. Fitzsimons Credit Union serves everyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Aurora, Watkins, Bennett, Strasburg, or eastern Centennial; is an active or retired military; a family member of those who meet the above criteria; and family members of those who work for any of the Select Employee Groups (SEGs

Fitzsimons Credit Union was first chartered in 1955 and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). For information on Fitzsimons Credit Union, click here

More about the DE Program: 

Since 1982, more than 1,700 credit union advocates from over 35 countries have graduated from DE Training to become Credit Union Development Educators (CUDEs). 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.” For more information on the DE program, click here.

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