CUNA’s shared system vision initiative is this: Americans choose credit unions as their best financial partner, said CUNA Chairman Pat Wesenberg during the Opening General Session.

To reach this vision, credit unions must Unite for Good through a shared agenda to remove barriers, create awareness, and foster service excellence, said Wesenberg, president/CEO, Central City Credit Union, Marshfield, Wis.

Credit unions fulfill all three agenda items by serving their communities, she said.

Wesenberg shared numerous stories of how credit unions display commitment to people over profits, interact with consumers, and open doors to a better understanding of the credit union difference.

“You may have noticed a common element in these examples,” she said. It’s the people, who are the great shared resource of the credit union movement.

“Clearly, our people are committed to working with and helping our communities,” Wesenberg continued. “Each of these efforts goes a long way toward helping us achieve the ‘shared agenda’ items of our system vision: removing barriers, creating awareness, and fostering service excellence.

“The more we reach out and the more work we do with our communities. The closer we can come to reaching our vision of ‘Americans choose credit unions as their best financial partner.”

Wesenberg reminded all credit unions to visit and post their stories to the Unite for Good website.