BEDFORD, Ind.–George McNichols, president/CEO of Hoosier Hills Credit Union in Bedford, has been named the recipient of the 2016 Cooperative Hero Award by the Indiana Cooperative Development Center (ICDC). He was honored at the organization’s Cooperative Summit, where the audience included representatives from cooperatives in Indiana and across the country. As part of the recognition, McNichols was inducted into the Indiana Cooperative Hall of Fame.
McNichols has been a leader in the Indiana community of credit unions, including being a member of the Indiana Credit Union League board for 13 years, with two years as chairman. He is also a longtime member of the League’s Governmental Affairs Committee and a past chairman of that group. He has represented credit unions nationally as a member of the CUNA Governmental Affairs Committee and he has been a member of a key advisory group at the national level to explore the Network Credit Union concept, which allows credit unions to achieve the benefits of collaboration, economies of scale, and diversification without giving up their unique brand identity and local market presence. In 2015 he was inducted into the Indiana Credit Union Hall of Fame, to recognize his achievements and contributions.
At Hoosier Hills CU, under McNichols’ leadership the credit union became a stakeholder in the Lost River Market & Deli, a community-owned cooperative grocery store in Paoli. This is a rural location with limited access to capital for new businesses, and the credit union’s support was important to the start-up funding of this cooperative business.
“The ICDC is very pleased and proud to recognize George for his contributions to cooperatives and to his community,” said Deb Trocha, ICDC Executive Director. “He truly exemplifies the seven cooperative principles which form the basis for the cooperative business model.”
In addition to his work with cooperatives, McNichols is involved in the Bedford Chamber of Commerce and the Bedford Recreation Foundation where he is a founding member. He has also been an adjunct instructor at Oakland City University.