WASHINGTON –The African-American Credit Union Coalition has inducted three credit union leaders into its Hall of Fame.
Credit union leaders from throughout the United States and abroad were on hand in Washington to help celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals.
Inducted were:
- The late Hubert Hoosman, former president/CEO of Vantage CU, Bridgeton, Mo.
- Don Lewis, president/CEO of Aberdeen Proving Ground FCU, Edgewood, Md.
- Peggy Peacock, board member of MECU, Baltimore
Hoosman was president/CEO at Vantage CU for 19 years. Under his leadership, Vantage grew from $203 million in assets with three locations and 38,662 members to $705 million in assets with 15 locations and 101,710 members upon his retirement in 2013. Hoosman was an instrumental contributor to the global credit union movement. He was a Chairman of the AACUC and led the effort among credit unions to contribute over 1 million dollars to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC. He traveled to Africa to help establish credit unions with the goal of providing access to affordable banking and financial literacy resources. His wife, Andreal Hoosman, attended to receive the recognition and give remarks.
Lewis has served as the president/CEO of Aberdeen Proving Ground FCU (APGFCU), for 24 years. He became the second president/CEO of the credit union in 1995. He began working in the credit union movement 40 years ago. During his tenure, Lewis has led APGFCU to reach more than a billion dollars in assets and with more than 125,000 members. Lewis and the credit union have been recognized for many awards and accolades. He is credited as the driving force in APGFCU's active community involvement, and as a visionary, continually guiding APGFCU into new areas of opportunity.
Peacock began a public service career when she was hired in 1967 by the City of Baltimore as a Neighborhood Development Assistant for the Community Action Agency. Peacock's involvement with the Inner City Credit Union aided underserved residents of Baltimore's inner city. Peacock has been a member of the MECU board of directors for 18 years. Throughout her tenure, she is an active member serving as a MECU Foundation board member, a member of the ALM Committee, co-chair of the Governance Committee, and chairperson of the Strategic Planning Committee.
AACUC special guests included past Hall of Fame honorees, Maurice Smith, president/CEO of Local Government Employees CU, Raleigh, N.C., and CUNA board chair; Donald Tynes Sr., board chair at SECU of Maryland, Linthicum Heights; Isaac Dickson, board chair of Carolina Foothills CU, Spartanburg, S.C.; Bert J. Hash Jr., retired president/CEO MECU; Herman Williams, board chair, MECU; Sheilah Montgomery, retired president/CEO of Credit Union of Atlanta; and Michael Hale, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Arizona FCU, Phoenix.
Industry leaders such as Jim Nussle, president/CEO, CUNA; John Pembroke, president/CEO, CUES; Dan Berger, president/CEO, NAFCU; Chuck Fagan, president/CEO, PSCU; Pamela Owens, senior vice president, National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions provided inspirational remarks.
"We are very proud to honor these servant leaders. They are titans in the industry, and their work embodies the credit union motto of people helping people," said Timothy L. Anderson, president/CEO of GPO FCU and AACUC board chairman.