SNELLVILLE, GA – Nearly 600 executives, young professionals and retirees stormed Stone Mountain to celebrate the African-American Credit Union Coalition’s (AACUC) 25th anniversary annual conference. The weeklong extravaganza, sponsored by TruStage, featured legacy-themed lessons and conversations from prominent credit union leaders and long-time AACUC members, plus a full-day workshop benefitting CEOs of credit unions with less than $100M in assets, opportunities for professional and career development, connections with vendor-partners solutions, inducting the next cohort of African American Credit Union Hall of Fame honorees and recognizing the first ever Maurice R. Smith DEI Leadership Award recipients.

“The 25th Anniversary conference far exceeded my expectations,” said Maurice R. Smith, AACUC Board Chairman and retired CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union and Civic Federal Credit Union. “Having been a part of this organization for many years and as I’ve transitioned from my CEO responsibilities, the conference provided an opportunity for me and all attendees to reflect on what legacy truly means and how to mobilize our talents for influencing and shaping the credit union movement for years to come.”

AACUC structured a full, diverse agenda, beginning with casual activities showing off Stone Mountain Park’s amenities including a golf tournament, hike and Historic Plaza tour of a plantation. AACUC also brought back the Small Credit Union Summit in collaboration with Inclusiv and TruStage, networking and learning for CEOs. The influence of Legacy was immersed throughout the conference with an AACUC Legacy Museum featuring AACUC artifacts, a Legacy Inspirational Breakfast panel consisting of AACUC founders, a specialty Legacy coffee blend and 25th anniversary commemorative items. Legacy Lessons were featured (similar to Ted Talks) and of course BSA Training provided by the MD DC CU Association. 

AACUC introduced its incoming 2023-2024 Board of Directors and new AACUC Strategic Partner network, which exposes small business owners to AACUC member organizations and provides trusted solutions that advance operational excellence, growth and new business opportunities for AACUC member organizations. 

The conference opened with a riveting keynote featuring Dr. Kimberly Brown Pellum, sharing the intersectionality of Stone Mountain, history of African Americans, and significance of AACUC hosting its conference there, setting the tone for the rest of the conference. Attendees enjoyed a variety of breakout sessions highlighting current issues such as developing minority talent and the importance of a cross-cultural network.

“Our 25th Anniversary Annual Conference is the culmination of all that AACUC has stood for and the consequential role it plays in our credit union system and the years to come,” said Renée Sattiewhite, AACUC President/CEO. “I’m hopeful that coming together for this shared, unique experience has left an indelible mark on our conference attendees.”  

The conference concluded with the inaugural Maurice R. Smith DEI Leadership Awards gala-style dinner and after party. This year’s recipients were Juan Fernandez, Gigi Hyland, Diane Rector, Martin Eakes and Self-Help Credit Union.

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About the African-American Credit Union Coalition 

The African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) was created to increase the strength of the global credit union community. We are a 501c3 non-profit organization of professionals and volunteers in the credit union industry. Over the years, AACUC has grown and is ever changing to meet the needs of the dynamic credit union community which it serves. AACUC has adopted the 8th Cooperative Principle and encourages all credit union and affiliated organizations to adopt it as well. AACUC has also created the Commitment to Change: Credit Unions Unite Against Racism Initiative and it has gained great momentum within the credit union industry. For more information, visit: www.aacuc.org or follow us on social media at: Facebook.com/AACUC1, Linkedin.com/company/AACUC, Twitter.com/AACUC1 or Instagram.com/aacucctc.  

About the African American Credit Union Hall of Fame: To identify, preserve and promote the historical influence of African-Americans in the credit union movement. The African-American Credit Union Hall of Fame seeks to provide access to the history of African Americans in credit unions; to make sure the history is captured and documented for generations to come; to tell the stories of the accomplishments of African Americans in the credit union movement and how they empowered others.

About the Maurice R. Smith DEI Leadership Award The Maurice R. Smith DEI Leadership Award – originally the DEI Trailblazers Award – recognizes leaders and organizations that inspire accountability for collective Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in the credit union movement and blaze the trail for others to follow. Honorees are selected based on the following criteria: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion thought leadership, demonstrated commitment and passion for engaging others in DEI and social impact of their work on the credit union community and our society. Learn more here.