One movement, one unified voice

Credit unions stand for people.

Everything we do is in service of our members and our communities. Putting people first is in the credit union movement’s DNA.

This selfless nature has long helped us stand out in the bottom-line-driven world of  traditional banking.

So, it’s no surprise that our instinct to put our members first played a crucial role in evolving to a new, more powerful approach to our movement: America’s Credit Unions.

During the past 18 months, collaborative discussions between CUNA and NAFCU, our boards, and our staff reached a critical juncture. We recognized the best path forward for our members would not be defined by CUNA or NAFCU as independent organizations, but by what we could do together.

Every pivotal decision in our organizations’ evolution has been made with the lens of advocacy for our members.

Their well-being, not the legacy of CUNA or NAFCU, has been and will continue to be at the heart of every decision we make.

We saw collaboration at its best. Coming together to form America’s Credit Unions allows us to amplify our collective voices on the Hill.

This will lead to better outcomes for our members, both present and future.

The millions of people we serve rely on our advocacy at both the state and federal levels.

Integrating our work under the umbrella of one movement will yield better outcomes. These include higher-quality financial education and more innovative products and resources to help our members weather any financial climate.

By locking arms and operating as a unified organization, we’ll put even more credit union members on a path to thrive.

I’d like to recognize the important foundational work of former chairs Brad Green (CUNA), Tom DeWitt (NAFCU), and Tony Budet (CUNA).

I’d also like to thank the current board members of both organizations for their thought leadership throughout this process.

Current NAFCU Chair Gary Grinnell and I now have the honor of bringing this effort across the finish line. We’ll both serve on the Transition Board.

Chartway Federal Credit Union President/CEO Brian Schools will be the newly appointed board chair for America’s Credit Unions effective Jan. 1, 2024.

Schools is a great leader and collaborator. I know that he and all current and immediate past leaders of our respective organizations share my excitement and eagerness to get to work.

CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle has said it many times, and it bears repeating: Our credit union members don’t care who controls what chamber in Washington, D.C., but they know their bills are piling up and they need a partner in their corner they can trust.

Our message must continue to cut through the noise because our members are counting on us. Using one voice at both the state and federal levels will be the key to creating more access to credit unions and, ultimately, more access to financial peace of mind.

Let us never forget that credit unions exist to serve people. Rest assured that your newly formed national trade association, America’s Credit Unions, is here to serve you.

We’ll rely on your passion, depth of skills, and commitment to our movement more than ever. Your involvement and voice throughout this building process is ever so needed.

The time is now. Please join me in embracing the opportunity we have before us to create history.

Together, let’s build something new and even more powerful for the sake of our members.

We are America’s Credit Unions!

LISA GINTER is CEO at CommunityAmerica Credit Union in Lenexa, Kan., and CUNA Board chair.