Page 6 - Contact Q1 2016 - final

CEO Profile

One CEO’s Abiding
Belief in the Power
of Advocacy

Don Mills was born into cooperatives.
His father worked for an Upper Peninsula
electrical cooperative, so he was raised to
understand the tenets of the movement;
things like member-owner status and
attending the annual meeting were a
part of growing up.

After graduating from Michigan Technological University in CEO Bio
1991, he intended to head to Wall Street to pursue a career as
an investment advisor. However, he ended up taking a job at Don Mills 2002
Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union (AAACU), where he’s happily Name CEO Since
spent the last 25 years.
Alpena Alcona Area CU
While serving the community as a trusted financial partner is Credit Union
a primary goal of Mills’s credit union, advocacy has always
been an integral part of the institutional culture. $303 million 27,378
Assets Members

“The past few years, we’ve eclipsed both of our federal and 1991
state PAC goals,” said Mills, noting that the credit union First Employed in CU Movement
makes a big push with both the Grand Raffle and MCUL’s lapel our credit union, it’s been in our chapter. We have an
pin programs. “As we go into our board meeting in January, amazing group of individuals both at my credit union
we engage the entire board of directors, credit committee and in the Blue Ox chapter.”
and supervisory committee in the application process. They
believe in the importance of advocacy; how we can protect Mills said the credit union’s staff also aren’t shy about
and preserve our movement and make changes that are good getting members to advocate for the movement.
for our membership.”
“When we have a credit or debit card data breach, members
AAACU made such a big push on the Grand Raffle in 2015 ask ‘Why does this happen and what can we do?’” he said.
that it was the first-, second- and third-place winner. It’s also “We tell them to call their congressperson and explain that
won a gold star award for several years running in recognition we need data breach liability standards.”
of its lapel pin efforts.
When it comes to an advocacy philosophy, Mills said he believes
Mills credited the Blue Ox chapter with helping him to that special interest groups are no match against the combined
understand the importance of credit union advocacy, and power of credit unions. After all, there are more than 250 credit
specifically pointed to longtime Northland Area FCU board unions across Michigan and more than 4.8 million members.
member Howard Spencer as a mentor.
“That’s a machine—and we can deploy it,” said Mills. “We’ve got
“He instilled those values as far as the political advocacy, the the means to get our members politically active to make those
importance of fundraising, the importance of meeting with calls, and those calls mean more than any special interest
your lawmakers—the list goes on,” said Mills. “It’s been in group can that can throw a big chunk of money around.”

6 First Quarter 2016 I Contact