WOCCU to Recognize International DE Candidates

MADISON, Wis. — World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), in partnership with six Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) programs, will recognize the third class of International DE (I-CUDE) designees at WOCCU’s 2011 World Credit Union Conference, to be held July 24-27 in Glasgow, Scotland.

David Marquez, general manager of COPOS Credit Union Co-operative Society, Port of Spain, Trinidad, is planning to be one of the first Caribbean candidates to receive the certification. Marquez, who in 2007 earned his CUDE designation from the U.S. program, was one of the first to enroll in the caribbean’s new CaribeDE program this past year. He’s attended WOCCU conferences in Dublin and Calgary and, counting his work on his country’s WOCCU partnership with the Credit Union League of Connecticut as his independent study project, completed the basic I-CUDE requirements.

“The certification program helps me tie my volunteer work and local and international training to my credit union development interest,” Marquez said. “The International DE designation will help me share the story of how credit unions help people around the world,” he said.

International candidates must complete four steps to achieve an international DE designation:

1.  Build a solid foundation by completing their local DE programs;
2.  Complete an independent studies project approved by the International DE Council;
3.  Participate in a WOCCU Engagement Tour Program, another country’s DE program or an
    equivalent international program approved by the International DE Council; and
4.  Attend WOCCU’s World Credit Union Conference.

“Philosophy is good business,” said Pete Crear, WOCCU president and CEO. “Each of these six DE programs has expanded the reach of our business and fostered credit union growth through cooperative philosophy. We hope to multiply that impact by facilitating the programs working together at an international level.”

The six national groups, whose leaders have been invited to Glasgow to establish I-CUDE guidelines and growth strategies, include DE programs representing Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Philippines and the United States. Persons holding local DE certification interested in applying for international certification (space is limited) should contact the following local program leaders:

Asia – Ranjith Hettiarachchi, CEO, Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions, Thailand; Australia – Peter Mason, Credit Union Foundation Australia; the Caribbean – Melvin Edwards, past WOCCU chair, West Indies; Europe – WOCCU Director Marlene Shiels, chief executive, Capital Credit Union Ltd., Scotland; the Philippines – Audie Joseph “Dudz” Samson, CEO, Visayas Cooperative Development Center, Philippines; and the U.S. – Christopher Morris or Lois Kitsch, National Credit Union Foundation.

For more information and to register for the World Credit Union Conference, please visit www.woccu.org/glasgow2011.

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the global trade association and development agency for credit unions. WOCCU promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. WOCCU advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions’ financial performance and increase their outreach.

Worldwide, 49,000 credit unions in 97 countries serve 184 million people. In 2009, WOCCU’s technical assistance programs reached 5.9 million people in 16 countries. Learn more about WOCCU’s impact around the world at www.woccu.org.

Contact: Mike Muckian
Organization: World Council of Credit Unions
E-mail: mmuckian@woccu.org
Phone: +1-608-395-2080

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