Members First Credit Union has its Crasher!
MIDLAND, MI (January 31, 2019) — Members First Credit Union is pleased to announce that Melinda Blackledge has been selected to attend Crash the GAC 2019 by The Cooperative Trust and Credit Union National Association to represent Michigan Credit Union League!
Melinda said, “It is an honor to have been chosen as one of the Michigan representatives this year. I am very excited for this opportunity, and I look forward to a week of learning, advocating, and meeting other young professionals that share my passion for credit unions.”
Crash the GAC is a non-stop, career-changing program for credit union young professionals that allows them to participate in the industry’s largest advocacy conference with complimentary registration, exclusive networking opportunities, leadership development tools, and mentoring sessions with industry leaders from organizations such as Filene Research Institute, CUNA, and National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF).
“The Crashers program is a great opportunity for young credit union professionals, the conference, and the entire movement at large,” said CUNA CEO and President Jim Nussle. “Crashers at the GAC will have the opportunity to network and participate in the premier event of the credit union industry. We will all benefit greatly from their enthusiasm and fresh perspectives as the movement is invigorated by a new generation of advocates.”
CUNA provides Crashers with a complimentary registration fee to attend the conference, and many state leagues and associations provide scholarships or other financial assistance. This year 100 Crashers will attend Crash the GAC representing every state in the nation for the Cooperative Trust’s 10th Crash the GAC event ever.
“We are excited for this opportunity for Melinda to continue to grow and showcase what Members First Credit Union is doing in our industry,” said Amy Garver, Vice President of Member Services.
“As the Cooperative Trust and Crash program grow and evolve, we continue to see positive impact on the careers of young professionals in the credit union space,” says Lauren Culp, Manager of the Cooperative Trust. “As we know developing this next generation of credit union leaders is critical to our success as an industry, we’re thrilled to work with CUNA to offer the opportunity to even more young professionals this year than ever before.”
Crash the GAC and other Crash events throughout the year are designed to spark new ways of thinking and build lasting relationships for young professionals within the credit union industry. Crashers will leave the nation’s capital with a new hunger to help strengthen their communities and organizations. This highly competitive opportunity is a launching pad for many young professionals’ careers and gives them the confidence and insight to make a profound and lasting impact in the industry.
Crash the GAC is brought to you by the Cooperative Trust and Filene Research Institute and is made possible by the generous support of CUNA, and with help from League partners.
About Members First Credit Union
Members First Credit Union remains dedicated to the many Michigan communities it serves for more than 86 years. The credit union supports approximately 64,000 members and has 250+ employees who share in the passion to service its members. More information is available at mfcu.net.
About Filene:
Filene Research Institute is an independent, consumer finance think tank dedicated to scientific and thoughtful analysis about issues affecting consumer financial wellness, the future of credit unions, and cooperative finance. Founded 30 years ago as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Filene moves credit unions forward with research and incubation support. For more information, visit filene.org and @fileneresearch.
About The Cooperative Trust:
The Cooperative Trust, with its award-winning Crash programming, is the international community of young credit union professionals, brought to you by Filene Research Institute and made possible by Credit Union National Association. To learn more, check it out live at cooperativetrust.com.
About CUNA:
Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the only national association that advocates on behalf of all of America’s credit unions, which are owned by more than 15 million consumer members. CUNA, along with its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, delivers unwavering advocacy, continuous professional growth and operational confidence to protect the best interests of all credit unions. For more information about CUNA, visit cuna.org.
