By Mary Auestad Arnold
Thousands of gold bars have quietly arrived at a remote metro D.C. warehouse, awaiting set-up for the open of CUNA's 2012 Governmental Affairs Conference, Sunday afternoon. Not a precious metal, but almost as fabulous, the bars contain your choice of dark or milk chocolate.
Our 50-year timeline begins with the first chairman, Jack Mitchell, and tracks CUES' progress through to our most recent board appointee: Caroline Willard Lane of CO-OP Financial Services. Here, CUES' Kristie Wimmer gives the booth a test run at CUES HQ.
Even if you don't love chocolate, GAC attendees won't want to miss the CUES booth, No. 254. Because many of the bars also contain "'Willie Wonka golden tickets.' These are good for an array of prizes, including 30 $50 bills in honor of our 50th anniversary and coupon books for $600 off CUES products and services," explains Karin Sand, CUES' director of supplier sales.
And those are just the CUES prizes. "We also have six partners involved with the chocolate bars: CUNA Mutual Group, Credit Union 24, John M. Floyd & Associates ESG, Marquis, MasterCard and Weber Marketing Group. Most of them are handing out bars at their booths and also providing golden tickets, for such prizes as 50, $10 MasterCard gift cards. Increase your chances of winning by visiting our partners! Bottom line," says the self-proclaimed math geek, "your chances of getting a golden ticket are about 1 in 5."
In addition to the chocolate and prizes, "we also have a wonderful new booth featuring photos through the years of CUES directors, award-winners, institute grads--"everyone who has made us who we are," she continues.
As someone who assisted the CUES design team in assembling five decades worth of photos for the three-panel display--pictured at right in a pre-GAC test run--I can attest to the booth's coolness.
Celebrating CUES' 50th is exhilarating. But 2012 is actually bitter-sweet, as CUES CEO Fred Johnson will be retiring at year's end. GAC offers a chance to catch Fred and wish him well. You can even record your sentiments in a video clip at the booth for a farewell DVD we plan to present during Fred's retirement festivities.
Finally, all CUES members have been invited to a Red, White & CUES Reception, Sunday, March 18 at 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Grand Hyatt's Grand Cafe. Planning to attend? Be sure to RSVP with CUES' Member Relations & Council Coordinator Kristie Wimmer, pictured above with the booth.
Then, get ready to "Get Your CUES On!"
Mary Auestad Arnold, VP/publications & social media, has been employed by CUES for nearly 27 of its 50 years.
