Award winners were honored for their achievements in marketing and business development during a virtual ceremony at the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Virtual Conference, March 23-25. The winners and their accomplishments will be featured in an upcoming issue of Credit Union Magazine. Click here to view the full awards presentation.

“Each year CUNA Marketing & Business Development Awards spotlight passionate, committed professionals who raise the bar with their original campaigns and events,” said Lynn Heider, Recognition Awards Chair and vice president, Communications & Public Affairs, Northwest Credit Union Association. “Our 2021 winners are examples of marketing brilliance, and they inspire all of us.”

Recognition Award Winners:

• 2021 Top Community Contributor Award: Deborah Wright, product & service strategist, FedChoice FCU in Lanham, Md.
• 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award: Lorrell Walter, SVP marketing & member experience, Western Vista CU in Cheyenne, Wyo.
• 2021 Rising Star Award: Alana Kelly, marketing manager, On Tap CU in Golden, Colo.
• 2021 Business Development Professional of the Year Award: Kristin Llewelyn, affinity partnership manager, BECU in Tukwila, Wash.

• 2021 Marketing Professional of the Year Award: John Kenjar, VP marketing & community outreach, US Eagle FCU in Albuquerque, N.M.
• 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award: Gay Parvazi, owner of Parvazi Consulting, and director of marketing & business development, UNO FCU, New Orleans

Excellence in Marketing & Business Development Award Winners:

• Business Development: US Eagle FCU in Albuquerque, N.M., for their “Aery Group” entry (assets ≥ $500 million)
• Community Outreach and/or Political Advocacy: MY CREDIT UNION in Bloomington, Minn., for their “Welcome to MY World – Adventure in Place” entry (assets < $500 million)
• Community Outreach and/or Political Advocacy: Local Government FCU in Raleigh, N.C., for their “The 8th Cooperative Principle – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative” entry (assets ≥ $500 million)
• Multifaceted: Louisiana Credit Union League in Harahan, La., for their “PIVOT: The one where LCUL went virtual” entry (assets < $500 million)
• Multifaceted: Community Choice CU in Johnston, Iowa, for their “Iowa Derecho Disaster Response” entry (assets ≥ $500 million)
• Strategic Planning: US Eagle FCU in Albuquerque, N.M., for their “US Eagle 2020 Strategic Synopsis” entry (assets ≥ $500 million)

“The winners this year set the bar high for the future,” Heider. “Through their actions, they remind us that credit unions are not for profit, not for charity, but for service.”