The credit union movement stands for a lot of things – customized service, community involvement, and better rates, to be sure. But look too closely and you might miss the deeper, more fundamental core of the movement at work: connecting and elevating people to help each of them grow.
One person who works to advance this purpose at a worldwide level is Unitus President and CEO Steven Stapp – so much so that he was honored with the Ambassador Award from the Oregon Consular Corps. The award is given once a year to an organization or individual who excels at creating family wage jobs in Oregon and strengthens Oregon's standing as a leader in international trade and investment.
“With all the exciting activity going on at home, it can be easy to forget that most of the world’s consumers live outside the United States. We are fortunate enough to be able to provide vital products and services that make life better for peoples throughout the world,” said Stapp. “The global work we do at Unitus reflects the need for today’s leaders to expand our cultural awareness, learn about the challenges others are facing, and help share the hard-won solutions we’ve discovered to improve life worldwide.”
A designated steering committee selected Stapp to receive the award at last week’s Celebrate Trade Gala, an annual mainstay of Oregon’s World Trade Week. The stately event, this year hosted at the Portland Art Museum, not only honors outstanding local leaders and organizations making a positive impact in the state. It also raises funds for the nonprofit Oregon Consular Corps Scholarship Fund which grants scholarships to students at four Oregon universities. These funds allow Oregon’s next generation of leaders to study abroad, gain international experience and expand their own cultural competence as they prepare to enter an increasingly global workplace.
Stapp receives this award almost a year after being elected Chairman of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) Board of Directors.
Stapp Wins Ambassador Award