WASHINGTON–The highest recognition in the U.S. credit union movement, the Herb Wegner Memorial Awards, were presented to four winners here, recognizing everything from enormous statewide efforts to feed the hungry to mentoring a record number of CU CEOs, to the creation of “Purpose Workshops” to serving an FOM many CUs likely wouldn’t take on.

The Wegner Awards, presented by the National Credit Union Foundation, were presented at a gala dinner held in conjunction with America’s Credit Unions GAC. Here’s a look at the four winners, why they were honored and what they had to say. 

Credit Unions Help Feed a State

Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Program: Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger

The effort to respond to hunger in Maine is driven by some big (and unfortunate) numbers, including that 13% of state’s population is food insecure, and that one out of every five children is hungry.

The league has partnered with the Good Shepard food bank, which will distribute 50 million pounds of food this year, making it the third-largest distributor of food in the state.

The MCUL has supported the food bank for 35 years. All 49 credit unions in Maine participate, raising funds in a variety of ways To date, Maine’s credit unions have raised $14.9 million in 35 years.

Baldacci said the award goes to every credit union in Maine, because each is a participant in the campaign.  

A Simple Mission

“We launched the Campaign for Ending Hunger in 1990 with a simple but powerful mission: to help put food on the tables of Mainers experiencing hunger in a world where it’s hard to find anything that a group of people, much less 48 credit unions, can agree,” said Baldacci. 

Baldacci noted that in 1990 Maine’s credit unions raised $23,000. In 2024, it set a record in raising $1.3 million, and that’s in a state with just 1.4 million people, Baldacci observed.

“For us what began as a promise has grown into a true labor of love, one that continues to gain strength with every meal served, every backpack failed, in every life touched,” said Baldacci. “We don’t do this work for the recognition…We do it because it’s who we are both as Mainers and as members of the credit union movement. We stand by one another in times of struggle and we celebrate together in times of success, because when one of us is lifted, all of us are lifted. We can’t afford to sit on the sidelines.”

A Challenge for All Credit Unions

“As we accept this award we do so with a call to action,” Baldacci continued. “We urge credit unions across the country to fight food insecurity and the root causes of hunger in your communities. I truly believe that we can turn the tide on food insecurity and ensure that no one goes without their next meal.”

The Creator of ‘Purpose Workshops’

Herb Wegner Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement: Debbie Wege,  Cooperative Community Advocate at BECU

WASHINGTON–Deborah Wege has had a more than 40-year career in credit unions, and in an introductory video she was praised by numerous people for her commitment to the credit union ideal of people helping people, at both BECU and in the National Credit Union Foundation’s Development Education (DE) program.

Wege created “Purpose Workshops” at BECU to bring credit union philosophy to its staff as a “way of understanding  why they were coming to work every day.”

Wege was further praised for mentoring many people who have then gone on to mentor others.

In her remarks, during which she thanked numerous people for their role in her life.

She called the purpose workshops “some of the most rewarding work of my work career.

Praise for DE

“I would not be here tonight if it was not for the Credit Union Development Education program,” Wege sad. “This program has changed my life…in how we can actively improve the lives of our members and our communities.”

Wege said the cooperative model and its ability to lift people out of poverty has solidified her belief in the credit union movement. It’s a passion she said she has worked to bring to her role on the board of the National Cooperative Business Association.

“This program also inspired me to focus my career on helping others to connect to their personal values and passions and to connect it to the cooperative mission, the principles that we all hold dear,” said Wege. “This is why we do what we do.”

The Role of Parents

With her mother on hand for the award, Wege shared how much her parents influenced her life. 

“I was raised with unconditional love and empathy, seeing people for who they are,” Wege said. “My mom especially instilled in me the belief that we must love everyone, we must see the humanity in people even when we disagree…I also remember a very profound moment that stands out from my youth…I was in my teens and really struggling with my truth of who I was, standing in the dark feeling very alone,  and I turned to find my dad had found his way to me and  he just embraced me and he said ‘I will always love you and nothing can change that.’”

Wege encouraged credit unions to lean into what differentiates them as much as they celebrate what they have in common.

The ‘Signal’

“When we worry about the future that should be our signal that we need to dig deeper and we need to find more reasons to live our purpose and do more,” Wege said. “So, in this International Year of Cooperatives, let’s remember that everyone needs financial access, regardless of what you look like, what your background is, who you are. Everyone needs access to financial services. It is one of the key development issues that builds a bridge to financial freedom.”

A CEO Who’s Set a Record for Helping Create New CEOs

Michael Valentine, president and CEO, BCU: Wegner Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement.

Valentine was applauded for his many accomplishments, especially his role in creating a culture and mentorship that has led to what is believed to be a record, 16 former BCU executives who have gone on to become CEOs themselves.

A Completely Different Model

Valentine, who began at BCU in 1984 as a loan and collection manager when the now $6-billion BCU had just $20 million, recalled he had previously been with Household Finance, where they made loans with 36% APRs to people who “probably shouldn’t borrow money. And next I’m at the credit union making loans at 10%-12% to help people. That people helping people has really kept me in my spot.”

Valentine credited numerous people for being instrumental in his career, including famed loan guru Rex Johnson, who was CEO of Baxter Credit Union when Valentine was hired.

Valentine, who was named CEO in 1994, was further praised during his introductory video for his commitment and optimism and belief in what credit unions are about.

“This nomination is for me but this is an award for all the people that helped me along the way,” Valentine said. “It’s impossible to think of this as an individual achievement; it’s more than that for me. I need a village.”

Advice For Everyone

Valentine also offered this advice:

• Love what you do, do it with passion and with people you like.
• Never take yourself seriously but take your job seriously. 
• Listen to learn, not to respond.
• Surround yourself with people different than you who have skills to compliment you.
• Never be afraid of hiring people smarter than you.
• Never be afraid to see them move on. “That’s the multiplier of talent that will propel our industry to greatness.”

Advice For Youth

For the young crashers in the room, Valentine urged them to recognize, “You’re part of something special, but it’s up to you to make sure it stays that way or improves. We’re all in it and (BCU) is all about digital for a good reason, but we cannot lose sight of the human collaboration. Remember, credit unions don’t compete with each other. It’s in our DNA to collaborate.”

Ironworkers FCU Rises Like a Skyscraper

Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Individual Achievement, Teri Robinson, CEO of Ironworkers USA FCU

Robinson started with the credit union in 1989 as a teller. Later, she was named to take over the credit union at a time it was struggling and NCUA was recommending a merger. As one person observed in an introductory video, 99 out of 100 times, a credit union in its condition would have indeed been merged, but “the one time a credit union can succeed is when you have a person like Teri.”

Strong Growth

Under Robinson’s leadership, the credit union began growing by focusing on its unique FOM of ironworkers. Robinson said her vision was the CU could be more than just a small credit union in Portland, Ore.; it could serve local ironworkers’ unions all over the country. At $26 million in assets, it sought a national FOM, and it was granted in 2018. Today, it has almost 16,000 members.

By being hyper focused on each individual member so they don’t have to be distracted by their finances in jobs that are “life and death.”

Robinson, along with members of the CU who appeared in a video, shared stories of the time the credit union showed up with cash to bail out a member who was in jail; of the times it helped people who couldn’t make the rent or couldn’t feed their children. 

When you do those sorts of things, she said, “They will be forever your member.”

Not Ready to Retire

“I know many of those who received this award were ready to retire, so let’s be clear, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon,” said Robinson. “I still have a lot of work to do…This has been a rewarding and fulfilling journey. When I got to Iron Workers Credit Union…I knew this was right where I belonged.  I felt at home. I could just feel this overwhelming sensation that I’d gotten to right where I needed to be.”

Robinson noted that since 2010 the credit union has grown from $7.5 million in assets to $133-million, with 5,500 members, a growth rate of 1,666%.

The Secret Sauce

“How did we grow like this? I’m going to share my secret sauce: by listening and caring for every member,” said Robinson. “We take the time to understand their lives and tailor our services to meet their unique needs. Every day we’re making a meaningful impact empowering ironworkers who might not have access to traditional banking options. 

“We take pride in solving financial puzzles and creating a blueprint for their financial freedom. When you’re erecting a project you need a blueprint and sometimes we need to help our members create that blueprint for their lives. it’s easy for us to understand finances,  but not for them. Our members need us to break it down show them how to save money from every paycheck, explain how credit works and, most importantly believe in them.”