Representatives from Georgia Credit Union Affiliates and Georgia credit unions recently embarked on the 16th annual Hike the Hill event – an important cornerstone of GCUA’s advocacy efforts.
On Sept. 12, 21 credit union employees and volunteers from 16 credit unions, along with GCUA representatives, travelled to the nation’s capitol to meet with regulators and elected officials to discuss the issues impacting credit unions and their members.
“Everything in politics and advocacy hinges on relationship building,” said Cindy Connelly, senior vice president of government influence for GCUA. “During Hike the Hill, we build those relationships.”
Credit union advocates met in small groups with Georgia elected officials and their staffers to discuss the credit union difference. They also talked about issues important to Georgia credit unions, including maintaining their tax status, the need for federal legislation to establish data security standards, the struggles of credit unions to comply with vague Americans with Disability Act guidelines and more.
Diane McCoy, president and CEO of Rome Kraft Employees Credit Union based in Rome, Ga., participated in Hike the Hill for the first time this year.
“It was eye-opening and exhausting – but a good exhausting,” McCoy said. “We met with NCUA regulators, CUNA staff and our Georgia elected representatives from the House and Senate on behalf of credit unions from all over Georgia. We made sure they know how credit unions help our members with their financial well-being and we weighed in on industry issues.”
Connelly said these meetings give Georgia credit unions a voice on the national stage.
“While it’s great that we do ‘Hikes at Home’ and visit legislators in their districts, they’ve got to know the credit union message means enough to us to take the time to fly up to D.C. and visit them in their offices,” she said. “A Hike is a chance for us to sit down in an intimate setting with legislators and their staff to either share what it is that makes credit unions unique or hot issues that are impacting the industry at that time.”
Since legislators have been gearing up for the impending 2018 elections, Connelly said she doesn’t expect discussions from this Hike to lead to any significant legislation before the end of 2018. But she said that doesn’t make this visit any less important than past Hikes.
“We’re setting the stage for what happens starting in January 2019,” Connelly said. “Our issues don’t just go away because there’s an election. We still have them. We still have to influence, and we still have to try to get things done.”
She said she considered this fall’s Hike a success that credit unions will be able to leverage in the coming months.
“Most folks have a tendency to think, ‘Oh, elected officials are so difficult to talk to,’” Connelly said. “They’re just human beings like all of us. But you’ve got to build relationships so that when you really need them, they already know they’re talking to a friend.”