GREENSBORO, N.C.–The person considered to be the longest-serving CU volunteer in history has died, while in another state a volunteer with more than 50 years of service has also stepped down.
Summit Credit Union announced that Elizabeth N. “Sis” Hamilton, who served as the CU CEO for 60 years and who was on its board for 70, has died. The credit union said it believes Hamilton served on a CU board longer than any other person.
Known to everyone simply as “Sis,” Elizabeth N. Hamilton was just a teenager in 1943 when she became the secretary of the board of directors, and shortly thereafter the manager, of Tri-City Telco Credit Union (now Summit Credit Union), the credit union said. Summit added “Sis will be forever remembered as a great leader, not just to her Summit Credit Union family, but also to the credit union industry.”
“Sis was a lifelong learner with a can-do attitude,” says Sam Whitehurst, president and CEO of Summit Credit Union. “She was supportive and encouraging, but most of all she loved credit unions and the people-helping-people philosophy.”
Hamilton spent 12 years on the National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (NASCUS) Council Board, was elected to the CUNA board in 1967, and served 25 years on the North Carolina Credit Union League board as the first female board member. During her years as CEO of Summit Credit Union, she managed as many as four other credit unions while also running Summit Credit Union, the CU reported.
During her career Hamilton was presented in 2003 with the Order of Longleaf Pine and in 2007 with the Larry Johnson Order of Merit Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest award presented to North Carolina credit union leaders. In 2012 she was named North Carolina Credit Union Volunteer of the Year.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, John C. DiNofrio has officially retired from Jersey Shore Federal Credit Union following more than 53 years of service to the credit union movement.
During that span of 53 years, DiNofrio served credit unions on the national, state and local levels. On the national level, he served with CUNA on a number of different committees. On the state level, he had a role in the establishment of the New Jersey Credit Union Foundation where he served as chairman from 2003-2008, according to the league. DiNofrio also served several terms as chairman of the New Jersey Credit Union League board of directors. DiNofrio was recently inducted into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in Washington and also named as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the NJCUL.