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Each year at the League’s Convention, the Alexander Ferguson Award is presented to an outstanding credit union volunteer. Last Friday, Jerry Caruso, a longtime Board member at Cumberland County FCU was recognized with this honor. Caruso was nominated by the credit union’s President & CEO Scott Harriman and its Chief Financial Officer Ryan Grund.
Caruso is a familiar face in Maine’s credit union movement. He started working in the industry 38 years ago on the Loan Committee for Portland Teachers CU. In 1989, he became a member of their Board of Directors, and in 1997, became a member of Cumberland County Teachers CU’s Board when the two institutions merged. He has been a member of the Board at Cumberland County FCU for the past 24 years and serves as its Chairman.
When nominating him, Harriman stated, “Jerry is a calm and confident Chairman—always sharing his knowledge and expertise to help grow the credit union. He was a strong advocate of the move to our loan by phone model in 2010 and continues to be involved in making decisions for the future of the credit union. There is no one more deserving of the Alexander Ferguson Volunteer of the Year Award than Jerry Caruso.”
Grund noted that no one defines Cumberland County FCU better than Caruso. He is responsible for leading multiple events such as the credit union’s annual meeting and dinners. He also understands the importance of being a part of the community in the towns where the credit union serves and is a fixture within Falmouth.
“Beyond his people skills, is his true commitment to the movement,” shared Grund. “Being a volunteer is a thankless job. Jerry chairs our board meetings with enthusiasm and intelligence. In addition to being well prepared, he always brings the perspective of the average member—consistently challenging us to consider what is best for members when making any business decision.”
The League shares Cumberland County FCU’s deep appreciation for Jerry and congratulates him on this special honor.