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Board learning expectations are part of the conversation with prospective directors at a Kentucky CU.
At $1.3 billion Fort Knox Federal Credit Union in Radcliff, Ky., director education is so important that it’s part of the very first conversation with a potential board members, according to CUES member Ray Springsteen, president/CEO. “The board incorporates the areas of training into the job description for volunteering,” Springsteen says, so there are no surprises for new directors.
Part of director onboarding at Fort Knox FCU is to make sure that new volunteers know where to go to ask questions, he adds. They may turn to more experienced board members, or ask senior staff, including Springsteen himself.
Education is ongoing for the CU’s nine board members, three associate directors and four non-board members of the supervisory committee. The credit union uses several modes of training including online modules, conferences and staff-directed education. “The board reinforces education by ensuring directors report on the use of all three,” Springsteen says. In addition, one of the non-board members of the supervisory unit attends each board meeting, as do all of the associates. This exposure to board meetings helps educate potential directors before they are elected. “We make sure we manage the time commitment,” Springsteen adds.
Charlene Komar Storey is a veteran credit union writer based in New Jersey.
