RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 24, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over 1,200 State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) member-owners from across the State made the trek to Greensboro, N.C. for the cooperative's Annual Membership Meeting held Tuesday at the Koury Convention Center. The day's events began with a volunteer luncheon and guest appearance by Hall of Fame speaker and credit union supporter Steve Gilliland. Educational sessions on SECU's current lending programs preceded the 3:00 p.m. General Business Meeting and Board of Directors' Election.
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Focusing on the Meeting and Annual Report theme "Measuring the Credit Union Difference," SECU Board Chair Jim Johnson shared with attendees numerous Credit Union initiatives that are making a positive financial difference for members and the cooperative's growth. He also highlighted another aspect of what makes SECU so different by noting, "It is the people – the 3,200 volunteers who advocate for and represent the voices of over 1.9 million member-owners, along with the staff who work tirelessly to serve the membership."
President Jim Blaine elaborated on SECU's measurable differences, providing historical data and current statistics that reflect consistent safety and soundness, along with strong member satisfaction results. Blaine shared ratings from SECU's 2014 Membership Survey, which indicated 98% of members are satisfied with their credit union, and a current Forrester Research report titled Customer Advocacy 2013: How U.S. Consumers Rate Their Financial Firms that showed 82% of SECU's members agree with the statement, "My financial provider does what's best for me, not just its own bottom line."
SECU Foundation Chair McKinley Wooten, Jr. concluded the day with Annual Report highlights from the member-funded Foundation, now celebrating its 10-year milestone. Noting that SECU Foundation also just completed its single largest donation year with $15 million in grants, Wooten then shared with the group a heartfelt video that featured testimonials from several members whose lives have been changed by Foundation projects made possible through the generosity of SECU members.
"The annual event provided a wonderful opportunity for SECU volunteers to share ideas and learn more about the Credit Union. Speaker Steve Gilliland set the perfect tone as he infused humor and common sense when he spoke about connections, the importance of passion and pride, as well as the power of people working together. At its very core, these values describe SECU extremely well. All aspects of the annual meeting underscored the importance of members working together to truly make a difference," said Dan Gallimore, Winston-Salem-Stratford Road Advisory Board member.
About SECU
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 77 years. With more than 1.9 million members, SECU provides services through 254 branch offices, 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org.
