By Jessica Jones
The board of Hudson Heritage Federal Credit Union in Newburgh, N.Y., “leaves no stone unturned when it comes to education,” says Board Chair Paul Zalanowski. And that makes sense, because Hudson Heritage began as a teacher’s credit union and the board is fully comprised of former educators.
“Teachers are always open to training and continuing education,” says Zalanowski.
With a steadfast dedication to continuing education, the board consistently pursues new opportunities to learn about current financial industry trends in order to address the credit union’s specific needs.
“Our board is very similar, because of our backgrounds as educators, but also very diverse. We insist that all board members, regardless of background, take training,” says Zalanowski. Board members attend educational sessions on their own to fill individual gaps in knowledge, but also as a group, to develop board-wide skills and strategies.
The Hudson Heritage Federal Credit Union board is highly engaged and very active, but they have found that continuing education helps initiate important conversations that lead to fresh insights. Says Hudson Heritage Federal Credit Union CEO Michael Ciriello, “It’s created more open and upfront discussions about, for example, regulatory issues and opportunities for our credit union.”
“We have been able to extend our conversations as a board and expand our strategies for the credit union,” Zalanowski explains. “We have the skills now to understand and discuss more of the details of the business side of the credit union, such 10 or 11 points on the financial statements, rather than just five. What we can do now is be more active in all of the processes of the credit union.”
As Hudson Heritage continues to grow, Zalanowski sees education as always being key to success for both the board and for the credit union as a whole.
“Our belief is that every new board member who joins us will be required to both serve on the advisory committee and pursue continuing education,” he says.
Jessica Jones is a freelance writer.
“CUES Director Education Center has been central to helping Hudson Heritage Federal Credit Union’s board build a solid foundation of knowledge,” said Zalanowski. Every current board member has participated in the program. Learn more about how CUES Director Education Center can help grow your board’s knowledge today.
