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Community Outreach Professional of the Year Award

The CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council’s Community Outreach Professional of the Year Award recognizes and honors an individual who exemplifies excellence in credit union community outreach.

This distinction is reserved exclusively for the credit union community outreach elite: individuals who, in all aspects of their chosen profession, consistently excel for the benefit of the communities their credit unions serve, and the advancement of ideals of the credit union movement.

Nominations Deadline

February 6, 2023

Nomination deadline will be strictly followed – no nominations will be accepted after February 6, 2023 so please don’t wait until the last minute – applications take time to fill out and complete. Thank you!

Eligibility

To be considered, you must be nominated. To nominate a colleague or yourself, complete the online nomination form by February 6, 2023. Fill in what you know about the nominee. Once nominated, candidates will be contacted to complete any missing information. You may nominate more than one person.

  • Nominee must be actively employed at a credit union 
  • Nominee must be from a CUNA-affiliated credit union 
  • Nominee must be currently assigned to community outreach as a management function or directly supporting community outreach 
  • Current members of the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council’s Executive Committee are not eligible for nomination

Nomination Procedures

Nominate a colleague or yourself by completing the online nomination form by February 6, 2023. The form asks for information on why the nominee deserves this prestigious award including the following. Limit your entry to no more than 2-3 paragraphs per question.

  • Why did you nominate this individual? 
  • Contributions made to community outreach as a credit union professional. 
  • Contributions to community outreach's role in the success of a particular credit union or credit union-related activity.
  • A summary that includes the candidate’s objectives and overall philosophical viewpoint, vision and core value statements, and steps taken to achieve goals. Include in your summary a description of what the candidate is doing that is above and beyond other credit union community outreach professionals, how the candidate worked with management to achieve goals, and how they are reaching out to members, community partners, and potential members. 
  • Include candidate’s LinkedIn profile – for positions (current and past) – district, league, national and community involvement – or include a current resume.

Selection Process

A volunteer panel of judges, who are selected through an application process and are peers, industry professionals and past winners, will review and score the Community Outreach Professional of the Year entries. Selection will be based on the candidates’ mastery in the following. Vetting may include dialogue with candidate’s colleagues.

  • Contribution to the candidate’s profession 
  • Contribution to the success of the candidate’s credit union 
  • Contribution to the credit union movement 
  • Community involvement

Winner Recognition

The winner will be announced at the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference, March 26-29, 2023 at the Renaissance Orlando at Sea World. The winner will receive the following:

  • A prestigious commemorative award 
  • A complimentary registration to this year’s conference in Orlando 
  • Up to $1,000 to use toward approved CUNA-sponsored career enhancement opportunities. The scholarship is contingent on approval by the applicant’s credit union leadership and CUNA. See list below. 
    • Following year’s (2024) CUNA M&BD Council membership or conference attendance 
    • CUNA Digital Marketing School 
    • CUNA Management School (CUDE designation) 
    • CUNA Marketing & Business Development Certification School (offers the CUCME and CUBDP designations) 
    • Emerging Leaders School 
    • Executive Leadership (if offered by CUNA in 2023 and beyond) 
    • National Credit Union Foundation’s Credit Union Development Educator designation program 
  • A profile in Credit Union Magazine 
  • Recognition throughout the credit union industry 
  • The opportunity to help select the following year's recipient and present the award

How to Enter

To nominate a colleague or yourself, complete the online nomination form by February 6, 2023. The steps below outline exactly how to enter.

  1. Register an Account
  2. Create Your Entry
  3. Upload Digital Files
  4. Submit Entry

LOGIN to begin entry process

Questions

Questions about the criteria or entry procedures? Contact CUNA Council Administration at awards@cuna.coop.