Who’s the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec?
The Cooperative Trust | By Dana Murn-Kohal
If my experience is any indication, the winner of this prestigious industry award for young professionals will be pretty humbled.
Many people that I meet who have won awards are fairly humble. In most cases, the person being honored was simply doing their part to be involved in something they believed in whole-heartedly. That is how I felt in December 2014 when I learned I was to receive the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives’ first-ever Young Professional Award.
The award recognized my enthusiasm in volunteering to help serve this organization that promotes the professional development of association executives in Wisconsin. I participated in the online community and served on the member engagement task force. In my mind, it was a great organization to be a part of and that is why I put forth maximum effort. While my service didn’t stem from wanting to win an award, being recognized certainly boosted my enthusiasm even higher – and this year I’m leading the member engagement task force!
I imagine that many people who are nominated for the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec competition are also stunned at first. Those I have talked to who have made it to the final round note that it is truly a life-changing experience to present their projects in a international forum. Not only are they making terrific connections, they get the opportunity to communicate to the CU industry how they are positively affecting their members, community and the movement.
If you have been nominated, take a second to pat yourself on the back and then begin planning your NTCUE application video! What you have done and continue to do for credit union employee is appreciated by many! If you haven’t been nominated, but are implementing a great program at your credit union, nominate yourself!
Nominations of any credit union employee age 35 (and not a CEO) are open until June 5 on the CUES’ Next Top Credit Union Executive website. You can also follow the contestants’ postings and, in November, watch the presentations and the humbling final awards ceremony live at this link.
Dana Murn-Kohal is CUES’ Professional Development & Innovation Manager