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NCUF Board Elects Gary Oakland Chairman, Laida Garcia Vice Chairman

Contact:
Christopher Morris
608-231-4374 | cmorris@ncuf.coop

Madison, Wis.  – The National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) Board of Directors has unanimously elected Gary Oakland, President/CEO of BECU in Seattle, Wash. as its new Chairman. Laida Garcia, President/CEO of floridacentral Credit Union in Tampa, Fla. was elected Vice Chairman. The election took place during NCUF’s 2011 annual meeting on January 19 in Tampa, Fla.

Oakland succeeds Allan Kemp McMorris, President/CEO of Oakland County Credit Union in Waterford, Mich. as Chairman, who stepped down after three years but will remain on the board.

Also elected at the annual meeting were Danielle Brown, SVP, Operations, Northwest Credit Union Association in Beaverton, Ore. as Secretary and John Radebaugh, President/CEO of the North Carolina Credit Union League in Greensboro, N.C., as Treasurer. Bill Cheney, President/CEO of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the board President.

“I look forward to working with Oakland and the NCUF board in 2011,” said Bucky Sebastian, NCUF Executive Director. “We have much we want to achieve, especially around our new focus on financial education. Now more than ever, the Foundation’s grants and programs are vital to helping credit unions make financial freedom a reality for consumers across the country.”

New Board Members

The NCUF board elected two new members at their annual meeting for three-year terms. The new members are:

  • Rudy Hanley, President/CEO, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union in Santa Ana, Calif.; and
  • Pete Pritts, President/CEO, First Corporate Credit Union (FirstCorp) in Phoenix, Ariz.

“Hanley told us that he decided to run after he was notified of winning the 2011 Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement,” said Sebastian. “Humbled by the recognition, Hanley is giving back to the Foundation by lending us his many years of credit union experience and knowledge. Both Hanley and Pritts are a great addition to our board.”

Hanley and Pritts replace the following two outgoing members of the NCUF board, who were recognized for their service at the meeting:

  • Curtis Collins, Director for JSC FCU in Houston, Texas; and
  • Dennis DeGroodt, President/CEO of Missouri Corporate CU in St. Louis, Mo.

The remaining members of the NCUF board are:

  • John Gregoire, President of The ProCon Group in Madison, Wis.;
  • Stan Hollen, President/CEO of CO-OP Financial Services in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.;
  • Sandy Lingerfelt, President/CEO of Clinchfield FCU in Erwin, Tenn.;
  • Paul Mercer, President of the Ohio Credit Union League in Columbus, Ohio;
  • Christopher Roe, SVP, Corporate & Legislative Affairs, CUNA Mutual Group in Madison, Wis.; and
  • Mark Twisdale, SVP, Human Resources, State Employees’ Credit Union in Raleigh, N.C.

Diverse Structure of the Board

The 13 voting seats on the NCUF Board include representatives of natural person credit unions, national organizations serving credit unions, corporate credit unions, state credit union foundations, state leagues and an at-large position.

Wegner Awards

Hanley’s award will be one of three presented at the 23rd Annual Herb Wegner Awards Dinner hosted by NCUF at the Grand Hyatt Washington on February 28, 2011—Monday night of CUNA’s 2011 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC). Click here for more information.

 

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About the National Credit Union Foundation (ncuf.coop):

The National Credit Union Foundation is the US credit union movement’s primary national philanthropic program provider, fundraiser and grant-maker. Through NCUF grants and programs, credit unions provide widespread financial education, create greater access to affordable financial services, and empower more consumers to save, build assets, and own homes.

NCUF is funded primarily by investments in the award-winning Community Investment Fund (CIF) and by generous Supporters led by the Credit Union National Association, CUNA Mutual Group, Harland Clarke, CO-OP Financial Services, STAR, California & Nevada Credit Union Leagues, Card Services for Credit Unions, and VISA.  All NCUF donors provide support that empowers NCUF and state credit union foundations to make a real impact in the credit union community.

The National Credit Union Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization and continues to earn the Better Business Bureau seal of approval as an “Accredited Charity” for meeting all 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for national charities.  

 

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