HONOLULU, Hawaii—Diana Dykstra, president/CEO of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, was presented AACUL's highest honor—the Eagle Award—by Mike Mercer, president/CEO of the Georgia Credit Union Affiliates and a member of the Eagle selection committee during the AACUL Annual Meeting here.
The Eagle Award has been presented only 20 times in the award's 34-year history. It is bestowed on a league president who has an outstanding record of achievement at the league level; is willing to speak out and take a stand on critical, controversial issues; demonstrates leadership beyond the league level; is innovative in creating or implementing new ideas; and maintains an unremitting dedication to credit union and personal principles, and an unflagging focus on important issues.
According to CUNA, Mercer lauded Dykstra’s leadership for her focus on constant improvement, on pushing forward to improve what is good to be even better; not being afraid to “rock the boat” by taking controversial stands; her commitment to member engagement; and her constant search for collaboration opportunities that are in the best interest of the whole movement, not just the best interest of their own organization.
Among Dykstra’s accomplishments as cited by Mercer:
- California and Nevada’s over 500,000 Congressional contacts during the movement’s Don’t Tax My Credit Union campaign.
- The creation of Power Comment and subsequent partnership with CUNA to take the program nationwide.
- Her leadership to create Plexity, a partnership between her Leagues, the New Jersey Credit Union League and Maryland & DC Credit Union Association with a mission to consolidate back office operations of the four leagues to reduce costs, while maintaining the identify and uniqueness of each of the states.
Meanwhile, the AACUL also re-elected Wendell Lyons, president of the Kentucky CU League, as its chairman. Other members of the executive board include: first vice chairman, Tracie Kenyon, CEO, Montana Credit Union Network; second vice chairman, Mark Cummins, CEO, Minnesota Credit Union Network; treasurer, Scott Simpson, CEO, Utah League of Credit Unions; immediate past chair, Bill Mellin, CEO, New York State CU League, and Susan Newton, the AACUL’s executive director.
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