Maurice Smith, president/CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union, Raleigh, N.C., is CUNA board chairman. Smith recently wrote an op-ed piece commemorating Black History Month.

In that article, he called for expanding cooperative principles to include diversity and inclusion.

Smith says credit unions have always focused on their members, and because of their structure they should be the best representative of fairness in their neighborhoods.

He believes credit unions should extend themselves beyond financial inclusion.

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Smith discusses why diversity and inclusion are such an essential elements of what credit unions and cooperatives do in their communities every day.

He also reflects on his CUNA board chairmanship and what it means to be a leader today in the credit union industry.

You can listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple’s iTunes Store, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.