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Elise Baldacci
It is hard to believe the Fourth of July has come and gone and I have already reached the six-week mark serving in my new capacity as League President. Much of my focus has been on visiting credit unions to solicit feedback on how the League can better serve our members and advance the credit union movement in Maine. I have loved visiting your communities and learning about the important ways you support your members every day.
I’m learning a lot – chiefly that the definition of success can look different for credit unions across the state. Some have shared enthusiasm for more trainings and professional development opportunities for staff. Others have expressed concern over regulatory hurdles, proposals to adjust debit interchange, and of course, the impact fraud has on both members and institutions. We want to ignite your progress and ensure that no matter how you measure success the League is a meaningful partner. Your feedback matters and will be vital as we map out strategic goals as an organization and industry in the weeks and months ahead.
If I haven’t met with your credit union yet, I look forward to doing so soon. I hope you will let me know what you think the League is doing well, where there is room for improvement, and what keeps you up at night. I want to encourage you to share your thoughts with me on important issues, like the Credit Card Competition Act. While the League does not anticipate this legislation will move any time soon, communicating our position with our congressional delegation and providing them examples of how this bill will hurt Maine credit unions will be an important component of our advocacy efforts moving forward.
In addition to credit union visits, I have been busy working closely with my team at the League to prepare for several signature events scheduled for later this summer and early fall. These events will be a great conduit to connect with me and my team, as well as your industry peers. While the Financial Literacy Conference, the Legislative Forum, and Management Roundtable are some of the larger events in the works, we also are working with chapters to host smaller engagements with credit union Young Professionals and state legislative candidates. There is a great deal to look forward to and I hope you will register to attend one or all of the conferences we have scheduled.
I would be remiss if I didn’t tee up the presence Maine Credit Unions will have on the television airwaves during the Olympics. Two new 15-second Statewide Awareness ads will begin airing on July 26 and run throughout the Olympic coverage. Having this type of visibility during such a monumental period will be a great opportunity to showcase the positive impact credit unions have on their members and communities every day with the public.
While it has been, and will continue to be, a busy summer, I hope you are able to enjoy all this short season has to offer. Summer in Maine is a great time to re-charge, re-set, and re-commit to the People Helping People industry that we are all so lucky to be a part of. Thank you for your continued support of the League.