CUNA has joined the World Council of Credit Unions’ COVID-19 Response Committee which, along with other international credit union organizations, is dedicated to identifying strategies, resources and practices to help credit unions around the world respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. CUNA Chief Engagement Officer Greg Michlig will represent American credit unions on the committee.

“CUNA greatly appreciates the invitation from the World Council to serve on this committee, it’s an honor to serve on behalf of America’s credit unions. This pandemic is affecting communities worldwide and credit unions will be a vital part of seeing members through the economic downturn and through the recovery,” Michlig said. “By sharing best practices and engaging with our not-for-profit financial cooperative partners around the globe we can commit to not only keeping credit union members and staff safe, but take advantage of the strengths of the credit union model to get help to where it’s needed the most.”

National Credit Union Federation of Korea (NACUFOK) Chair and President Younsik Kim will chair the COVID-19 Response Committee.

Other members of the Committee, representing regional and national credit union associations around the world, include:

• Denise Garfield, general manager, Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions;
• Martha Durdin, president/CEO Canadian Credit Union Association;
• Rafal Matusiak, president, Poland National Association of Cooperative Savings and Credit Unions;
• Charles Murphy, director, Irish League of Credit Unions;
• George Ombado, CEO, African Confederation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives;
• Adrian Rodriguez, CEO, Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Costa Rica; and
• Elenita San Roque, CEO, Asian Confederation of Credit Unions.

The committee will hold its first meeting August 27 and will kick off the first in a series of bimonthly webinars Sept. 17. The first webinar will include presentations on the status of the pandemic globally and its effects on present and future international work.

More details on the initial webinar, including registration, will be available on the World Council’s COVID-19 Resource Page.