Mark Lynch to retire from National CU Foundation
MADISON, WI (January 23, 2018) — Following an impactful career spanning over ten years with the National Credit Union Foundation (the Foundation), Senior Program Manager Mark Lynch will be retiring from the Foundation at the end of January 2018.
“With a career in credit unions spanning forty-one years, the impact that Mark has had on the movement is immeasurable,” said Gigi Hyland, Executive Director at the Foundation. “Mark has been an amazing asset to the Foundation team, and I look forward to seeing how he continues to improve the lives of credit union members in his next chapter.”
Prior to moving to the United States from Australia, Lynch had an illustrious credit union career spanning twenty-two years. He worked as the Deputy Chairman of Australian National Credit Union, then Australia’s largest credit union, and also served as the Volunteer & Resources Manager with the Australian Credit Union Foundation. Lynch also served on the boards of two other cooperatives and the academic council of a business college.
After moving to the United States, Lynch established himself as a credit union consultant specializing in program and product development, project management, strategic planning, housing & financial counseling and board governance.
Before transitioning to a Senior Program Manager role, in 2007, Lynch began working as a Field Coach with the National Credit Union Foundation’s REAL Solutions Program to help credit unions develop programs and services aimed at low-wealth households. The REAL Solutions program has since retired, but many of its products and services are still helping members today.
“It has been an honor to work with Mark for more than a decade on all things credit union,” said Lois Kitsch, National Program Director at the Foundation. “Mark brings such a breadth of cooperative knowledge that has been beneficial to many credit unions and countless members. I know that he will continue to positively impact credit unions and members for many years to come.”
Lynch has been instrumental in the growth of the Enhanced FiCEP Program, helping credit union staff to become certified financial counselors. In the last eight years, he has trained over 2,000 credit union staff in over 520 credit unions in 30 states. He also spearheaded a non-prime auto lending pilot designed at making loans to borrowers with weak or no credit histories, demonstrating the value in member service and the worthwhile business opportunity for credit unions.
Lynch also developed the hands-on interactive Retirement Fair to help credit union staff, members and community members to better prepare for retirement. In addition to all the programmatic work he has done to help credit union members, Lynch has been a passionate advocate for the Credit Union Development Education (DE) Program. Lynch has been an influential teacher, serving as a facilitator and mentor for many DE Trainings over the years, impacting credit union professionals around the globe.
His vast knowledge in the field allowed Lynch to deliver more than 500 presentations at credit union conferences and events in 49 states, predominantly on issues relating to serving the underserved, growth strategies, board governance, credit union philosophy, and taxation.
“I am truly appreciative of all the opportunities the Foundation has given me to work with credit unions in various capacities over the last 10 plus years,” said Lynch. “The Foundation staff are the most amazing people I’ve ever worked with. Even though I’m formally leaving the Foundation, as I continue to work with credit unions, I will always be the Foundation’s biggest promoter and supporter.”
About National Credit Union Foundation
The National Credit Union Foundation (the Foundation) is the charitable arm of the U.S. credit union movement and works as a catalyst to improve people’s financial lives through credit unions. Through grants and programs, the Foundation is strengthening financial well-being, igniting passion, and instilling knowledge about the credit union difference, and uniting resources to help credit union people during disaster. Donations to the Foundation ultimately enable credit unions to help their members reach life-changing goals and achieve financial freedom.
