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Release: Ohio League announces
state award winners
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For Immediate
Release
Contact: Patrick Harris
Director of Media Relations
Ohio Credit Union League
pharris@ohiocul.org
800-486-2917 |
Ohio League Announces Claude Clark Political Inspiration Award
Winners and Professional of the Year during InVest48
Credit unions and movement leaders honored for youth financial
education, social responsibility, philosophy in action, and
marketing brilliance
Columbus, Ohio
(April 14 , 2011) In front of nearly 500 credit union
peers, Ohio credit unions and Credit Union Movement leaders were
honored during InVest48 for their political, professional,
social, philosophical, and marketing contributions to the
movement, their credit unions, and the communities they serve.
Highlighting the 2011 awards were this year’s Claude Clark
Political Inspiration Award Winners Tom Furrey, CEO of Western
Credit Union, and Greg Kidwell, CEO of Members First Credit
Union, both of Columbus. Eileen Meeker of AurGroup Financial
Credit Union in Fairfield was introduced as the Professional of
the Year. Also awarded were the Desjardins Youth Financial
Education Award, the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award,
the Louise Herring Award for Philosophy in Action, and the
Cutting Edge Marketing Brilliance Award.
Claude Clark
Political Inspiration Award
In 2010, Furrey
and Kidwell took bold action to help elect a credit union
supporter to Congress. Despite the risk of favoring a challenger
over an incumbent member of Congress, who also sat on the
Financial Services Committee, Furrey and Kidwell believed
strongly in engaging their own credit union memberships to help
elect candidate Steve Stivers. Both credit unions mailed
partisan postcards in support of Stivers, explaining to members
how his election to Congress would benefit the credit union.
Four different postcards were mailed to members leading up to
the November election. The support helped Stivers win election
to the 15th congressional district, where he is now a
strong credit union advocate on the influential House Financial
Services Committee. Additionally, both Furrey and Kidwell have
led strong Political Action Committee campaigns at their credit
unions, raising a combined total of $6,000 last year.
After receiving
the award from Credit Union National Association President and
CEO Bill Cheney, Kidwell impressed the importance of advocacy to
his colleagues, stating, “Credit unions don’t exclusively
control our own destiny. In order to ensure that we continue to
be able to serve our members, we have to advocate – it is not an
option.”
Added Furrey,
“When an opportunity like this presents itself for your credit
union to step up…do it.”
2011
Professional of the Year
Eileen Meeker
has served credit unions in multiple capacities during her
nearly 30-year credit union journey. In that time, Meeker has
stayed ahead of the curve in not only preaching the credit union
difference, but executing dozens of outreach projects
benefitting thousands of Butler County residents. Meeker
incorporates the credit union philosophy into everything she
does, ensuring balance between a credit union’s business goals
and commitment to the community.
Through her
collaborative efforts, Meeker has helped raise tens of thousands
of dollars, and awareness, for causes including Children’s
Miracle Network Hospitals, Shared Harvest Food Bank, United Way,
and the West Chester Community Back-Pack Program. Her passion
includes providing financial education to the underserved and
unbanked, and ensuring Butler County students begin their path
to financial freedom at an early age through classroom
instruction. Her credit unions have received nine Dora Maxwell
Social Responsibility and Claude Clark Political Inspiration
Awards thanks to her leadership. As part of the award
presentation, comments from credit union and community leaders
praising Meeker and her career were shared.
Meeker was
moved by the recognition, but was humble as always, sharing, “I
am deeply touched by this recognition because the nomination
came from people with whom I work and respect. However, anything
I have achieved has been through a team effort.”
Desjardins
Youth Financial Education Award
· Classic
Federal Credit Union, Amelia, hosted Reality Store events that
touched more than 300 students on the importance of managing
money and making wise financial choices through hands-on
experience paying monthly bills and tempting “fate.” The events
incorporate parent-volunteers to stress the importance of
financial education at home and have garnered local media
coverage.
· Fiberglas
Federal Credit Union and Harvest Federal Credit Union, Licking
County, joined forces to introduce Mad City Money to high
schools, and to inform educators and parents about the
importance of financial education. Mad City Money taught nearly
400 students how to manage money through real-life experiences.
The program was featured in the Newark Advocate.
Dora Maxwell
Social Responsibility Award
· Wayne
County Community Federal Credit Union, Smithville, hosted
Shredding Hunger, an event that allowed members to shred a box
of documents for every bag of groceries donated. More than 5,000
pounds were shredded and enough food was collected to stock two
local food pantries.
· KEMBA
Financial Credit Union, Columbus, created “KEMBA Cares,” to
provide community partnerships. It was the committee’s decision
to turn twice-a-year, all-day staff meetings into outreach
opportunities by closing the credit union’s offices and
investing time in the community. All-Staff Community Day
resulted in 140 KEMBA associates volunteering at nine different
locations across the area.
Louise Herring
Award for Philosophy in Action
· Communicating
Arts Credit Union, Cincinnati, celebrated its 70th
anniversary by offering a 7-month share certificate at 7% APR.
The intent was to both reward members for their dedication to
the credit union, and incent them to develop a savings plan.
Members could save as much as $2,100 dollars, plus interest, and
388 took advantage of the offer.
Cutting Edge
Marketing Brilliance Award
· Ohio
University Credit Union, Athens, looked to increase membership
by engaging its staff and members. The “I Love O-U-C-U” campaign
asked members to refer family and friends, earning them credit
union “points” and entry for prizes. The campaign incorporated
paid and unpaid media, member testimonials, social media,
websites, staff interaction, and lobby displays. The campaign
helped boost net membership growth to 2.57%, outpacing the
previous year.
· Ohio
HealthCare Federal Credit Union, Columbus, set out to engage its
statewide professional field of membership to create buzz about
the benefits of the credit union through a member contest called
“Next Top Credit Union Member.” Members were asked to provide
video testimonials about how the credit union has made a
difference in their lives. Nine finalists were selected by
members on a website which received 41,000 votes. Finalist
testimonials and pictures were featured in marketing materials.
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The Ohio Credit
Union League, with offices in Columbus, is a state trade
association representing 387 credit unions. Credit unions are
not-for-profit financial institutions owned and
democratically-controlled by their members. Ohio credit unions
provide savings, loans, and other consumer financial services to
their 2.68 million members. To learn more, visit
www.OhioCreditUnions.org.
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