New Scholarship to Honor African American Credit Union Leader in Virginia

The Virginia Credit Union League (VACUL) is proud to announce a new annual scholarship in honor of Lynette Smith, past chairman of the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC). Ms. Smith is a tireless credit union advocate and has been President/CEO of TruEnergy Federal Credit Union (formerly Washington Gas Light Federal Credit Union) in Springfield, Va. for the past 11 years.

Feb. 9, 2019 - The Virginia Credit Union League (VACUL) is proud to announce a new annual scholarship in honor of Lynette Smith, past chairman of the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC). Ms. Smith is a tireless credit union advocate and has been President/CEO of TruEnergy Federal Credit Union (formerly Washington Gas Light Federal Credit Union) in Springfield, Va. for the past 11 years.

“The AACUC Board and membership are thrilled that Lynette is being recognized for her contributions to the movement, our organization and her credit union with this scholarship. By providing this scholarship, the Virginia League honors her leadership and passion for AACUC by ensuring the next generation of African American credit union professionals has access to our programs,” said Adrian Johnson, senior vice president/CFO MECU of Baltimore, Inc., and Chairman of AACUC.

Beginning this year, the Lynette Smith Scholarship will be granted to one Virginia-domiciled credit union leader to attend the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) Annual Conference. The scholarship will be awarded annually and covers registration and travel costs, up to $2,000. This year the conference is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina from Aug. 6–10.

“It’s fitting that we debut the Lynette Smith Scholarship during Black History Month in recognition of African Americans’ contributions to credit unions,” said Rick Pillow, president of the Virginia Credit Union League. “For over 30 years, Lynette has been an exemplary advocate and champion for the credit union movement, both within the Commonwealth and nationally. Our hope is that this scholarship will help prepare and inspire credit union leaders to follow in Lynette’s footsteps.”

The Lynette Smith Scholarship will be formally announced during the AACUC’s Networking Meeting/Hall of Fame Reception at the Credit Union National Association’s Governmental Affairs Conference on March 12. Scholarship applications and the selection process will be coordinated by the AACUC.

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About the Virginia Credit Union League
VACUL is the statewide trade association representing the 125 member-owned, not-for-profit credit unions headquartered in the Commonwealth. VACUL deploys its resources to address credit unions’ needs in the areas of advocacy, compliance and professional development.

About AACUC
The AACUC was created to increase the strength of the global credit union community. We are a non-profit organization of African-American professionals and volunteers in the credit union industry.