DES MOINES, Iowa — More than 600 credit union leaders, board members, young professionals and industry partners attended the Iowa Credit Union Convention hosted by the Iowa Credit Union League.
The three-day event featured sessions on leadership, professional development, innovation and member service. Keynote speakers included Ryan Lavarnway, a former Major League Baseball player and World Series champion, and Elizabeth McCormick, a former U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot.
The Winners
At its annual meeting during the convention, the league presented awards recognizing service to credit unions and their communities:
- Cooperative Spirit Volunteer Award: Tami Lichtenberg, a director at MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union, and Nick Waters, a director at Veridian Credit Union.
- Cooperative Spirit Professional Award: Jami Weems, CEO of Serve Credit Union.
- Heritage Award: Pat Drennen, CEO of 1st Gateway Credit Union, for career achievements.
- Young Professional Award: Samantha Eaton, a vice president at Members Community Credit Union, and Jordyn Schmitt, a senior paralegal at GreenState Credit Union.
- ICUL Champion of the Year: Marian Holmes, vice president of consumer lending and government affairs at Community 1st Credit Union, and Crystal Pluth, vice president of development at Citizens Community Credit Union.
“From dedicated volunteers to emerging professionals to seasoned leaders, this year’s recipients demonstrate their incredible impact and shared commitment to the people-helping-people philosophy of our credit union movement,” league President and CEO Murray Williams said.
The Board Members
The league also swore in its board members:
- Jeff Hayes, chair, North Star Community Credit Union
- Jordan Hensley, vice chair, Peoples Credit Union
- Renee Christoffer, Veridian Credit Union
- Greg Hanshaw, Community 1st Credit Union
- Dave Klavitter, Dupaco Community Credit Union
- Brad Mertens, Metco Credit Union
- Mike Moroney, AIM Credit Union
- John Parks, Sioux Valley Community Credit Union
- Mark Peters, Employees Credit Union
- Julie Pingel, Fort Dodge Family Credit Union
