ONTARIO, Calif.–With ballots now out to CUNA’s membership on the issue of CUNA/league membership choice, the California and Nevada CU Leagues have become the latest to vote in favor of giving their members the option of joining the league, CUNA or both.
The CNCUL said membership choice will be implemented in 2017 in conjunction with the dues cycle. “Optionality was a decision with complex ramifications and we felt it deserved careful study,” said Chuck Papenfus, board chairman of the California Credit Union League, and president of Inland Valley Federal Credit Union in Fontana, Calif. “Ultimately we believe an efficient two-tiered system is best for the movement, however the time was right to provide a choice for California credit unions when spending member dollars.”
“While we were appropriately deliberative in reaching the decisions for our two state associations to support optionality, ultimately the hand-wringing and angst our system has gone through for the last several months only truly makes a difference if credit unions that are currently outside of the process decide to reengage in the spirit of cooperation upon which our movement was founded. In the end, that is the only way we can collectively protect and advance the credit union charter for the benefit of American consumers and the businesses they own.” said Wally Murray, board chairman of the Nevada Credit Union League and president of Greater Nevada Credit Union in Reno, Nev.
The Leagues join the ranks of the Carolinas, Michigan, New York, Virginia, Florida, Alabama, and Ohio leagues, which also have voted in favor of choice.