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Attendees from Maine celebrated the Campaign for Ending Hunger’s special award win. From left to right: John and Sharon Doe; Randy Stolp; Joe Gervais; Scott Chretien; Jen Burke; Elise Baldacci; Jason and Shannon Lindstrom; and Jen Hogan.
The red carpet was on display in Washington, DC, on Monday evening as over 1,000 credit union industry representatives filled the ballroom at the Marriott Marquis Hotel for the National Credit Union’s Foundation’s 2025 Herb Wegner Memorial Awards. This prestigious event honors individuals and organizations who are making extraordinary contributions to improve financial well-being. Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger was one of this year’s four honorees.
The Wegner Awards were established to honor the memory of Herb Wegner, a visionary leader who served as President & CEO of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in the 1970s. He is remembered for envisioning not just what the credit union movement was, but what it could become. Administered by the National Credit Union Foundation, the awards are regarded as one of the highest national honors within the credit union movement.
As the awards ceremony got underway, attendees viewed videos that showcased the 2025 award winners, which also included Teri M. Robinson, CEO of Ironworkers USA FCU; Deborah A. Wage, International Credit Union Development Educator and Cooperative Community Advocate at BECU; and Michael Valentine, CEO at Baxter CU. Maine’s video featured partner representatives from Good Shepherd Food Bank, the Standish Food Pantry, PeoplesChoice CU, and Casco FCU.
League President Elise Baldacci and League Vice President of Outreach & Strategic Initiatives Jen Burke accepted the award on behalf of the Campaign. In her remarks, Baldacci shared, “We launched the Campaign for Ending Hunger in 1990 with a simple yet powerful mission: to help put food on the tables of Mainers experiencing hunger. In a world where it’s hard to find anything that a group of people—no less 48 credit unions—can agree on, Maine credit unions have been unwavering in their commitment to end hunger in Maine.”
Baldacci added, “In 2024, the Campaign raised a record-breaking $1.3 million dollars. In a state with just over 1.4 million people, that is real change for thousands of Mainers. What began as a promise has grown into a true labor of love—one that continues to gain strength with every meal served, every backpack filled, and every life touched.”
Burke also provided brief remarks and shared, “In 1990 when the Campaign began, few could have imagined that so many people would lack reliable access to nutritious foods 35 years later. Yet today, Mainers are still making impossible choices between food, rent, and other basic needs. Hunger is not just an issue of empty stomachs; it is an issue of opportunity, health, and dignity. For these reasons, our work presses on.”
In each of their comments, Baldacci and Burke encouraged others to get involved in efforts to address food insecurity, reminding attendees that hunger is not a Maine issue, rather a national crisis.
“Tonight as we accept this award, we do so with a call to action,” stated Baldacci. “We urge credit unions across the country to fight food insecurity and the root causes of hunger in your communities. I believe that we can turn the tide on food insecurity and ensure that no individual or family goes without their next meal.”
The nomination period for the 2026 awards will open in May of 2025. Please visit the National Credit Union’s Foundation’s website for more information about the program. On the site, you also can learn more about the exceptional achievements of the other 2025 Herb Wegner Memorial Award winners.
2025 Wegner Award winners from left to right: Jen Burke; Elise Baldacci; Deborah A. Wage; Michael Valentine; and Teri M. Robinson.
Maine attendees at the Wegner Awards Dinner.