My Dad’s Credit Union Legacy

Most of you know that my brother, Chris, is a Michigan credit union CEO. What you may not know is that both of our careers started, and stayed, in the credit union movement. That’s not a coincidence. We were both introduced to credit unions by our dad, Dave.

For years, I didn’t give this much thought. My dad would occasionally talk about it, but lately, he’s been reflecting on it more and more. Over dinner the other night, it struck me how proud he is of where my brother and I landed in our careers, and how much he feels responsible for that. He’s not wrong. It’s clear that this means a lot to him, and that he considers it his legacy.

My dad’s credit union journey began before I was born. He was in the Army National Guard in 1970 and had just completed a drill. At the end of a long day, each reservist was given a folder with some information. My dad noticed a flyer from Detroit Federal Employees Credit Union. He recognized the name — it was near his home in Southfield — and decided to stop by to see about getting a loan to pay off some credit card debt. Little did he know that visit would not only change his career, but also set the course for both of his children’s careers (one who wasn’t even born yet!).

On that fateful day, while talking with the loan manager, the manager noted that my dad worked in collection at Albert’s Department Store. He asked my dad if he had ever considered a career in credit unions. My dad replied, “No, before today, I didn’t even know what a credit union was!” The manager then gave my dad information on the Michigan Credit Union League and told him to contact the league to see about job opportunities.

Even back then — more than fifty years ago — MCUL was helping connect people to credit union careers. It looks a little different today in the form of TryaCreditUnion.com, but still the same idea. Okay, back to the story…

My dad decided to reach out to MCUL and submit his information. Ironically, it was the same credit union — Detroit Federal Employees Credit Union — that reached out to him about an assistant manager role in collections! My dad went in for an interview and accepted the position.

He began his credit union career in 1970 and retired about twenty years ago. My dad is now 81 years old. Over twenty years ago, when my brother was looking for his first professional job, my dad connected him with a credit union CEO he knew, and that began my brother’s journey.

Then, in late 1999, when his daughter (yours truly) was ready to leave a law firm for something more meaningful, my dad connected me with Chuck Holzman, a credit union attorney he’d worked with for years. And that’s where my journey began.

Back on that fateful day in 1970, when my dad went to the credit union for the first time, he met Jan Vasu, an assistant manager at the credit union. To this day, well over fifty years later, my dad and Jan are friends and recently had lunch together!

What a legacy, Dad! I know that Chris shares the same nostalgia that I do when we reflect on our past and your role in leading us into the credit union movement.

In addition to being a cool story for my family, this story is a shining example of the power of connection in our industry. The flyer that Detroit Federal Employees Credit Union (now People Driven Credit Union) left for Army reservists who might need financial support — and the engagement my dad experienced when he visited the branch — says so much. The people he met there didn’t just care about his business; they cared about him. They took the time to connect, offer guidance, treat him as a friend and even point him toward MCUL! What great employees!

It also highlights the power of MCUL itself. MCUL helped connect a young Michigander looking for a fresh start to a lifelong career — one that would ultimately shape his children’s futures as well his own.

My dad’s legacy illustrates how connected we all are in this movement. By taking time to connect and support people, you can make a difference in their financial lives in so many ways. The fact that I now lead MCUL, the organization that started my dad down his path, closes the circle on my dad’s legacy. And Chris leading Advantage One Credit Union shows how my dad led my brother to also meaningfully contribute to the movement and the community.

I know you are going to read this, dad, and I want to say thank you. Thank you for taking that flyer and setting the three of us on a life-changing journey that would bring us all so much.

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