WASHINGTON–Four people honored with the highest awards in the U.S. credit union community have shared stories of seeing the worst in humanity help to bring out the best; of how the stories of members who have been helped help to reenergize credit union staff; of how one person who at one point thought of taking her own life and instead discovered new life in credit unions, and how one credit union has grown quite big by never caring about assets.
Their moving and inspirational stories were shared during the National Credit Union Foundation’s Herb Wegner Memorial Awards dinner in Washington, held in conjunction with CUNA’s GAC.
This year’s awards were presented before the largest-ever Wegner Awards crowd of 1,200 people; it also marked the first time four people were awarded Outstanding Individual Achievement awards.
The four winners are Linda Bodie, CEO + Innovator of Element Federal Credit Union in West Virginia; Brian Branch, the former president/CEO of the World Council of Credit Unions; Bill Cheney, CEO of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union in California, and Winona Nava, president/CEO of Guadalupe Credit Union in New Mexico.
Here’s a look at why each was honored and what they had to say.
A Career That Has Seen the Worst of Humanity—and the Best
Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement: Brian Branch
In a video recognizing Branch he shared how his father was given a loan by a credit union to buy the farm he grew up on. From there Branch would eventually grow up to travel to 106 countries and amass 10.6 million miles flying around the world, often to disaster zones to provide relief.
Branch helped to set up the Polish credit union system after the disintegration of the Soviet Union; it is now one of the strongest CU movements in the world. He worked with CUs to provide help to orphans with HIV in Kenya, responded to numerous crises, and even after retiring helped to establish the Via Stella Foundation, which is providing help to Ukraine following the invasion by Russia.
Brian Branch
The Real Honor Goes to the Family
“Thank you for the honor you do my family, because it was my family that made the sacrifices so I could work with credit unions,” said Branch.
Credit unions are a part of history, according to Branch, noting that communities, wherever they are, turn to credit unions to help improve lives.
“When bad things happen, credit unions step up and help build local economies,” he said. “(In crises), credit unions are on the ground, very often in the middle. They can’t leave. When peace is restored credit unions help rebuild those local economies. But more importantly, credit unions help not just local economies, they help build societies. They are part of the social fabric that ties communities together.”
A Modern Day Example of the Difference
Branch said during his career he has seen natural disasters and wars and the horrors of genocide. And now once again he said Poland’s credit unions are making extraordinary efforts to help the millions of Ukrainian refugees who have fled their homeland. Poland committed to not building any refugee camps. Instead, people have been welcomed into homes and towns and credit unions have worked to help them build paths to economic security, he said.
“Many are woman with young children. What we heard repeatedly from refugees was what they wanted was an opportunity to work and support their families. So, Polish CUs helped provide small rental grants so kids could go to school and parents could go to work. They have also supported schools,” Branch shared. “Critical to this has been Polish credit unions that have provided credit union membership to the refugees so they could establish a savings account with which to access the future. It’s the refugees’ economic integration that enhances the bond, the acceptance between those arriving and those receiving them. This is an example of the credit union difference. It’s what we call the Via Stella.
‘Credit Unions are the Tool’
“We all know credit unions do not need a war to make a difference in their members’ lives. Helping people face personal challenges, life transformation moments and responding is the work you do every day. Thank you for the work you do every day in your communities you do. Credit unions are the tool for making the world a better place.”
The Human Get Out of Jail & Do So Much More Card
Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement: Winona Nava
Nava’s work and that of her credit union has been widely recognized for doing unique and innovative things in spite of its asset size (it has now grown to $258 million) and impoverished field of membership in Northern New Mexico.
Nava shared how she had started her career at SECU 45 years ago by pushing her “way in the door,” and then finding opportunity to learn numerous aspects of operations, while graduating from Western CUNA Management School and becoming a VP, all while being a single mom.
Winona Nava
“I was excited because I had been mentored by the CEO of Guadalupe CU. I thought I would be the next CEO. But the board wanted this young male who had gotten a bachelor’s degree in accounting and they hired him. I got no interview,” said Nava. “He wasn't successful and he put the credit union in conservatorship and then he got to spend nine years in prison. It was a harrowing time. I had gone above and beyond my job description and at SECU, where I had worked with examiners. They asked why I didn’t apply (for the Guadalupe CU position). And I said I don’t quality because I don’t have a bachelor’s degree, I need three more classes. They said ‘Apply.; I did, I got the job and it was a lot of restoration work to get credit union back to its roots.”
Back to the Roots
Those roots had been put down 75 years earlier by a parish priest who had started the credit union to help those being preyed upon by loan sharks, a practice that was still taking place when she arrived. Nava said that once in the position she worked with the National Credit Union Foundation’s Real Solutions program and the CU also became a CDFI, which brought in “millions of dollars to the impoverished areas of rural Northern New Mexico.”
‘It Is The Right Thing to Do’
Later, while speaking to a credit union event, Nava said she was sharing how Guadalupe CU had seen success in serving those who were not fully documented. That’s when someone from a very large CU stood up and asked to see the CU’s business plan, she recalled. It didn’t have one.
“I finally said, ‘It was the right thing to do’,” she said.
Again working with the Foundation, the credit union applied for a grant to build a new branch, which became so successful GCU had to build a new, larger one across the street in just three years.
Today, Nava said Guadalupe CU is seeing tremendous success with its Certified Financial Coaches program. All seven of its branches now have full-time financial coaches “and it’s been amazing for our members. We have had people who would come in who had borrowed $10,000 and they were paying back $50,000 on it.”
Those members were refinanced.
‘Wonderful & Joyful Ride’
“I have had a wonderful and joyful ride over the years in the credit union movement,” she said. “I love what I do. My personal values of treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of status and choices made in life align with the credit union’s. We believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect and in helping them to get back on track.
“At our all-staff meeting we have each branch give their best member story of how they helped someone to get back on track, and it really reenergizes me. I am going to retire in October and I feel like I groomed and taught and educated people so the executive team can now carry this torch on and take it to higher levels.”
Credit Unions Not Just in Her Soul, But Literally on Her Body
Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement Winner: Linda Bodie
Bodie is well-known in credit unions for leading one of the most innovative credit unions in the country, despite limited resources. When it had just $7 million in assets and two full-timers, the CU was the first in the country to introduce mobile check deposit, for example (beating another much, much larger FI to the punch in the process). During her tenure Bodie has overseen asset growth of 2000%, helped to co-found CUPride and the Credit Union Women’s’ Leadership Alliance, and more.
Bodie noted that when she was young she didn’t know what she would do with her life before finding credit unions, which has fulfilled the “part of me that loves to help people, loves to innovate.”
Linda Bodie
“The biggest innovation we are known for is the Apple remote deposit app. We were a teeny tiny CU. It was just me and our part-time IT person. But we were trying to solve problems for members.”
Later, Elements FCU won the contract from the state of West Virginia to handle deposits for medical cannabis retailers. That led to the hashtag, “You own the joint.”
Bodie shared how in credit unions and at CU events she rarely ran into any other LBGTQ+ people, so she came out during one such event. Afterward, she said six people came and thanked her.
‘I Love the People’
“I am a lifelong West Virginian. I love the beauty, the outdoors, but most of all I love the people. We are kind, humble, genuine and proud,” said Bodie. “We have many challenges and we are often misunderstood, we are always an underdog but we still get things done. I have been an innovator since I can remember. If I looked at something and thought there was a better way to do it, I would look to improve it and just make it cool. That ultimately translated into my credit union life.
“I am also an activist. I despise any form of injustice--race, gender, what you look like, where you come from or who you love,” she continued. “Growing up female and lesbian and I faced many forms of prejudice, people asking, ‘Why can’t you just be normal?’ And very early in my life, while struggling with my sexual orientation—I didn’t have a problem with it but others did-- I contemplated an end to my life on this earth because I didn’t think I could handle the hatred. Luckily, I had enough stubbornness and optimism that things would get better. And things got better. I learned to be authentically me. I used to hide the real me because I knew I wouldn’t be accepted and others might physically hurt me. Over the years I learned to push through, keep standing up, and I turned the shame into pride. Stand up. It’s never too late to try.
“It’s only natural I would find my passion in credit unions. We are activists, too. We stand up for the downtrodden. We give our hearts and passion to help others do well. We do what others won’t do. “I am a passionate advocate for the things I believe in. It’s not rocket science, it’s people helping people.”
CU Tattoo
During a video prior to her acceptance remarks, Bodie was shown getting a credit union tattoo. The tattoo artist is a member of her board. But she also acknowledged she got the tattoo for the video. “It was in the script. Literally. I agreed to do it. I said it has to be cool. Now I have my second official tattoo. How many of you have board members who can give you a tattoo?
“The very essence of people helping people has left an indelible mark on my soul and now my body. My hope is my action will inspire others to bring the same passion to those they serve.”
It’s Not About the Assets or Number of Members
Herb Wegner Memorial Award: Bill Cheney
Known to many in credit unions, Cheney was honored for a 35-year career in credit unions that began in 1987 at Security Service FCU in San Antonio, becoming CEO of what was then Xerox FCU in California, serving as president/CEO of the California/Nevada leagues before leading CUNA beginning in 2009, and then returning to credit unions when he was named CEO of SchoolsFirst FCU in California.
“I can’t take any credit for individual achievement. My career has really been about collaborative achievement,” said Cheney. “All of us here share common values. You heard it from the earlier honorees. Every one in this room is somehow connected, every one is part of the credit union family; we are a cooperative family,” said Cheney. “We face many challenges, there is a lot of uncertainty, but if we stick to our principles and share our stories, we don’t have to look too far to find partners in this room to help us. They include our volunteers and members, team members, CUSOs and others. At Schools First we emphasize to every member of our team that we are here to serve, not to judge.”
Bill Cheney
What It’s really About
The $21.8-billion credit union has approximately 1.3 million members, but Cheney said the success has nothing to do with assets or headcount. “Our strategy is about service, not members or growth or profits.”
“I am the son of a banker,” Cheney explained. “I understand that we need a strong banking system. Banks serve an important function. But we are different. Remember, banks use people to make money, credit unions use money to help people. Credit unions are vital to the people in the communities we serve. There are bankers spending millions of dollars and time to take that philosophy away. We are fundamentally different than the for-profit banking model. Each of you is a vital member of the credit union movement. We are stronger together and can stay strong if we stick together.
Be An Evangelist
“Please be an evangelist for credit unions,” he continued. “We need you and the people who understand our impact to speak up and be heard. Tell the stories of the unique ways credit unions impact ordinary people to do extraordinary things. It is up to each of us to protect the credit union difference.”