WASHINGTON–Three people and one organization were recognized by the National Credit Union Foundation with Herb Wegner Awards for their achievements and contributions to credit unions.
Here’s a look at who was recognized and why, and what they had to say in accepting their awards during the Herb Wegner Memorial Awards dinner in Washington.
Anchor Award
Brett Martinez, President & CEO, Redwood CU
Martinez was recognized for his efforts and those of Redwood Credit Union following what at the time were the worst fires in California history, the North Bay Fire. That fire would burn more than 5,600 homes within two miles of the credit union’s main office. Seven-thousand homes were lost in all. Martinez helped lead an effort to create the North Bay Fire Relief Fund, eventually raising $32 million from 41,000 donors to help fire survivors. Redwood CU paid all administrative costs so 100% of donations went to fire relief efforts.
“The reality is I was surrounded by an amazing team,” said Martinez. “This isn’t something we set out to be good at, but unfortunately in our areas, 2015, 2016, 2017, which was the worst fire in California history until this past November. We actually got good at this. We were in full disaster mode. Our employees, volunteers and thousands of members were evacuated from their homes. We had no power, no phone lines and we were in backup system. Our members left their homes without their wallets and purses and without cars, because they couldn’t open their garages.
“You hear the Herb Wegner winners every year, and you leave every Wegner ward winner reenergized,” said Martinez, whose mother was a CEO of a small credit union. She wasn’t able to make it tonight to dedicate this to her for showing me what people helping people means.”
Outstanding Organization
Nusenda Credit Union Foundation
Founded in 2014, the Nusenda Credit Union Foundation was created to better serve low-income people within New Mexico, specifically in the nine communities serviced through Nusenda Credit Union. Shortly after establishment, the Nusenda Foundation began a discovery process to modify and scale one of Nusenda Credit Union’s existing loan programs, the SEG Pledge Loan. This microloan allows Nusenda’s business account holders to offer small dollar loans to their employees by pledging the employer’s savings account as collateral for the loan without requiring a credit check.
That program has since expanded into the Co-Op Capital Program.
“When I was a little girl my grandparents took me to Cape Canaveral for a tour. I saw the model of the Space Shuttle and learned that dozens of teams of engineers had been working on it,” said the Nusenda Foundation’s director, Robin Brule, who said she also learned the program had a projected decades-long trajectory. “It forever altered the way I viewed the world. We need to accept the notion that ‘sticktoitiveness’ must also be applied to our vocation. We call this social entrepreneurship or conscious capital, but those are buzzwords. We need the most brilliant minds and resources to solve it.
“Our predecessors were innovators and pioneers who developed and grew the credit union movement to be problem-solvers. They cultivated an alternative,” she continued. “They showed us when you do well, you can do good. Fast forward to 2019, credit unions are standing ready if there are big problems to be solved. As cooperatives, creative thinking is in our DNA. It’s a career prerequisite at Nusenda.
“No leader or organization is responsible for any single problem, and no single leader or organization can cure it. We ask the same questions those rocket scientists asked: how do I get from here to there, how do the pieces fit together, what does success look like and, most importantly, what happens if we do nothing? We need to find comfort in change. Change begets change as much as repetition begets repetition. We must take challenges as opportunities and those who work at credit unions see closed doors as opportunities.”
Outstanding Individual Achievement
Crystal Long, president and CEO of GECU, El Paso
Long started as a file clerk, becoming a teller and eventually working her way up to CEO. Long was recognized for her extensive work in both the local community and for her work with the World Council of Credit Unions. The credit union is also very active in financial literacy, having reached 26,000 people so far, including students at the University of Texas El Paso.
“GECU focuses daily on growing partnerships and making the dreams of our members a reality. Almost 400,000 members who have joined us in believing the credit union movement should go forward,” said Long. “As a CDFI, the development principles come to life at GECU. We believe this is truly the credit union mission. I am inspired every day by the people who make the credit union vision possible. I stand in awe daily of the transformation work done by the component parts of the credit union system. I encourage everyone to truly embrace the advocacy role to keep this movement alive for decades to come.”
Herb Wegner Outstanding Individual Award
Diana Dykstra, president/CEO, California/Nevada Credit Union Leagues.
Dykstra was hired in 1982 by The Golden 1 as a part-time loan clerk, and eventually became CEO of The Golden 1 CU and San Francisco Fireman's Credit Union. Dykstra also helped create Credit Union Direct.
“My story starts with my mom,” said Dykstra. “She never told my sisters and I that we were never capable of doing one thing. I have been fortunate to stand on the shoulders of giants. No one makes this journey without the support of others.”
Dykstra said she is often asked how she arrived at her position and in response offered these “philosophies”:
- Change isn’t bad. It’s actually inevitable, except in a vending machine.
- Embrace failure. If we don’t fail, we rarely learn. “I have had thousands of failures and they are all learning opportunities. Have the good sense to fail fast and remember storms are always tomorrow.”
- Challenge the status quo and avoid those who espouse “We have always done it that way.”
- Always do the right thing.
- Deliver excellence in everything you do.
- Pursue growth in learning.
- Generously give to others.
- Be authentic, grateful, and humble.
- Celebrate the small accomplishments.
- Think big, start small, scale fast.
- Always trust the process
- Never forget you are the keepers of the credit union cooperative principles.
“Go out and continue to change people’s lives,” said Dykstra.