SCHAUMBURG, Ill.–Geraldine “Geri” Burek, president/CEO of Evergreen Park-based South Division Credit Union, has been inducted into the Illinois Credit Union Hall of Fame.
Burek, who served on the ICUL Board of Directors for 13 years, was inducted to the Illinois Credit Union Hall of Fame during the ICUL Annual Convention’s Celebration Luncheon.
Burek has devoted more than 36 years of her life to the credit union movement. Beginning in 1981 as manager of Greyhound Employees Credit Union, Burek has demonstrated leadership skills, volunteerism, community service and dedication to the credit union movement in many different ways, both in Illinois and nationally, the league said.
A staunch advocate for financial literacy, Geri started one of the state’s first student branches at Brother Rice High School where she also taught financial literacy classes and participated in reality fairs.
Burek has also been a prolific fundraiser for both the ICU Foundation and CUPAC. She started the annual Women’s Golf Outing to raise funds for CUPAC, generating over $280,000 during its 20-year run. Throughout her career Geri has earned numerous accolades, including CUES Executive of the Year, and multiple awards in the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility and Desjardins Youth Financial Literacy award competitions.
In addition to her extensive credit union related activities, Geri has served as an elected community representative for the Chicago Public Schools, a Palos Heights library trustee, and is a certified WAGS therapy dog volunteer at Palos Community Hospital. She was also named Business Person of the Year by the Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce in 2011.
“Geri Burek is the person you want to serve on your board,” said Vicki Ponzo, SVP of Education & Member Resources for ICUL. “She takes on every task with determination, dedication and commitment. She can be relied upon to achieve 110% of any goal she takes on. I am honored to have been able to work with Geri for more than 30 years and have been inspired by her tireless efforts to help those in need through leadership, mentoring and friendship.”