By Ray Birch
ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago—A credit union board is not complete unless it has a young adult among its directors, says one executive who is trying to lead CU change in Trinidad-Tobago—and who became a CU member himself “unintentionally.”
That is a key philosophy of Dorwin Manzano, who is president on the board of U.W.I. Credit Union Co-operative Society Limited, which is a credit union in this country’s St. Augustine region, and VP on the board of the Trinidad and Tobago Credit Union Deposit Insurance Fund.
“I believe there should be a permanent seat on a credit union’s board for a youth member,” Manzano told CUToday.info. “This is significant for succession planning, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion. It also signals to the young people of our country that they not only have a voice, but a very active voice in the decision-making process of the credit union. It also prepares them for leadership and tasks ahead and adds balance to the overall perspective of the board.”
Lobbying for Youth
Manzano is among a number of young credit union professionals from across the globe CUToday.info is profiling as part of a regular series. He said having a permanent seat for a young adult on the board encourages young adults to come forward and volunteer, and that helps build the credit union system.
“I am lobbying for more youth involvement in our country,” he said.
Manzano is advocating for more CUs in Trinidad and Tobago to seat young members on their boards, and is encouraging credit unions in other countries to do the same.
Prior to the pandemic, Manzano had also regularly advocated that all credit unions that attend the World Council of Credit Unions annual meetings bring at least one young credit union professional to the event.
“If it cannot be possible for each credit union, at least by country, let there be at least three young people representing the country,” Manzano said.
An ‘Unintentional’ Member
Manzano, who has more than 21 years’ experience within the credit union system, said he is also asking credit unions in Trinidad and Tobago to create speaking engagements for these young credit union professionals, and assign them structured tasks and projects that are supervised and monitored by senior professionals.
“I have been lobbying for more young professionals on boards for many years and I am seeing results,” said Manzano. “More young people are serving on boards within credit unions here and are holding key leadership and management positions.”
Manzano, who is a lawyer and currently corporate secretary of the University of Trinidad and Tobago, got his start in credit unions in what he said is somewhat of an “unintentional” way.
“I was a starting out in the business world as a law clerk for a credit union’s law firm,” said Manzano, who is now 45. “I was working one day and one of the tellers asked me for $20. I willingly gave it to her and the next day when I went to the CU she gave me a passbook, a copy of the credit union’s bylaws and said, ‘Welcome to the credit union family.’ And the rest was history.”
Dorwin Manzano
The Bond
What Manzano said he likes most about credit unions is the bond between members and the organization.
“The sense of responsibility, ownership, belonging and being part of a large company of members I always respected and liked very much,” he said.
What is unique about the 127 CUs in this country that have $2.3 million in combined assets, according to Manzano, is their willingness to lend to members who are facing “trying circumstances. And in doing so credit unions here help many people achieve their financial, educational and social goals.”
Manzano added that credit unions in this country are seeking some assistance from the government to improve their ability to help members.
“Credit unions in Trinidad and Tobago are doing the best they can to help members gain financial stability, independence and realize their dreams,” he said. “Currently new legislation is under consideration for the strengthening, expansion and enhancement of the movement. Our biggest opportunity right now is to have enabling legislation, which will allow for safety, soundness, growth and sustainability within the credit union sector.”
The Challenge
But the challenge facing the movement in this country, explained Manzano, is to establish a “representative body” that will effectively and efficiently lobby on behalf of credit unions within the territory to “ensure we receive enabling and appropriate legislation.”
One of the reasons for Manzano’s focus on youth within credit unions, he said, is his long-time participation the World Council of Credit Unions World Young Credit Union Professionals (WYCUP) program.
“Dorwin is one of the original WYCUPers,” said Brandi Stankovic, chief strategy officer with Michigan-based CU Solutions Group and WYCUP chair. “In 2004 Manzano was one of five World Council of Credit Unions World Young Credit Union Professional Scholarship Winners. Over the last 15 years, he continued to support WYCUP attending every single year—creating a voice for board members, and continuing to build momentum for credit unions in the Caribbean. He is a tremendous advocate for young professionals.”
Life Never the Same
“My first WYCUP experience was in 2003 in Brisbane, New South Wales, Australia and my life was never the same after that experience,” Manzano said. “For the first time I had an appreciation of the extent, depth, breath and strength of the international credit union system. Before then, I thought it was just my country league and regional body. Until then, I never realized there were millions of people in similar positions facing similar circumstances. I then realized that credit unions are a global effort, and only then did I appreciate the extent and reach of the global movement and the millions of homes, families and lives that are being changed by credit unions. I am excited and encouraged to see young people grow and develop and make significant contributions towards the global movement, and by doing so the future of our movement is secured.”