TORONTO–The Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA) has announced the recipients of the 2018 National Credit Union Awards.
The awards recognize the accomplishments of credit unions and credit union leaders, for their positive impact on their communities.
“I congratulate all our winners. They are an inspiration to all of us in the credit union system,” said Martha Durdin, president and CEO of the CCUA. “Credit unions are innovative and creative in responding to their members' needs, making a positive impact on their communities and delivering value to Canadians.”
Among the honorees, along with the reasons they were honored, according to the association:
Hall of Fame
This year’s Hall of Fame inductee, Henry Jansen (British Columbia), was recognized for his almost 40-year career demonstrating leadership, commitment and impact at the local, provincial and national levels of the Canadian credit union system.
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award went to Vancity (British Columbia), for its Vancity Fair & Fast Loan program, offering a fast, easy and online alternative to payday loans for their members.
Best of Marketing Award
For receiving the highest average score of all entries received for the Achievement in Marketing Excellence Awards (AIME), Libro Credit Union (Ontario) received the Best of Marketing Award for the redesign of the Libro Credit Union website.
Community Economic Development Award
For their dedication to economic equity and focus on providing opportunities across Southwestern Ontario, Libro Credit Union (Ontario) was the recipient of the National Credit Union Community Economic Development Award for its Libro Cluster program.
Social Responsibility Award
For their commitment to making sustainability a major part of their business and substantially reducing their environmental footprint by investing in renewable energy options, East Coast Credit Union (Nova Scotia) was the recipient of the National Credit Union Social Responsibility Award for its Building Stronger Communities Through Sustainable Practices initiative.
Learning Excellence
First West Credit Union (British Columbia) earned the Learning Excellence award for their Invest in People – First West Certification Program, an engaging learning platform with a holistic approach that meets the needs of new and seasoned employees.
National Young Leaders
Five young credit union leaders were recognized as National Young Leaders to mark their exceptional contributions to their credit unions and to the credit union system:
- Matthew Waynert, Innovation Credit Union (Saskatchewan)
- Maggie Leung, Alterna Savings (Ontario)
- Teri Buckley, Connect First Credit Union (Alberta)
- Marianne Jurzyniec, Affinity Credit Union (Saskatchewan)
- Chris Inniss, AWCCU (Ontario)
Teri Buckley also received a $10,000 scholarship, covering tuition and travel costs to attend a leadership development program at a university in Canada.