UVA Community Credit Union's Alison DeTuncq Recognized With League's 2014 Farley Award of Excellence

CONTACT:
Lewis Wood
Vice President of Public Relations and Communication 
800.768.3344, ext. 629
lwood@vacul.org 

UVA Community Credit Union President and CEO Alison DeTuncq has been awarded the Eugene H. Farley Jr. Award of Excellence, one of the Virginia credit union system’s highest honors.

The award is presented to a credit union professional or volunteer official in recognition of his or her outstanding contributions to an individual credit union or to the credit union movement. In particular, the award seeks to recognize achievements that exemplify credit unions’ ‘People Helping People’ philosophy. It is named in honor of retired Virginia Credit Union League President Gene Farley, who served the League and Virginia’s credit unions for more than 40 years until his retirement in 1999.

DeTuncq was recognized for the leadership of her Charlottesville-based, member-owned credit union, which currently serves 64,000 members and boasts assets of $655 million.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be a part of the credit union movement,” said DeTuncq. “I feel particularly blessed to work with such an outstanding staff, management team and board of directors. They live our mission of service to members and our community every day.”

DeTuncq got her start in the credit union movement after meeting UVA Community Credit Union’s previous CEO while pursuing her master’s degree. Although familiar with credit unions, thanks to her father, a longtime credit union member at what is now CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union, her chosen career path and background was in non-profit community health administration.

Offered a job as a branch manager at UVA Community Credit Union, she accepted believing it offered great work experience and an opportunity to continue working in the world of not-for-profits.

UVA Community Credit Union -- a full-service financial cooperative -- made headlines recently for its participation in its local energy-efficiency advocate non-profit -- the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP). An alliance comprised of local governments, energy and water utilities, the University of Virginia, Piedmont Virginia Community College and other stakeholders, LEAP’s operation is part of a national initiative to improve the energy efficiency of homes and buildings in an effort to create jobs, save money, lessen dependence on foreign oil and improve air quality.

The credit union has been recognized as well for its participation in the Small Business Administration’s loan programs, ensuring local small businesses have access to much-needed credit, aiding the local area’s economic recovery and creating new jobs.

DeTuncq’s service to the credit union system includes participation as the only Virginia-based director on the board of Mid-Atlantic Corporate Federal Credit Union, a Pennsylvania-based institution that provides liquidity, lending and investment services to more than 800 credit unions.

She is an invaluable member of the Virginia Credit Union League’s Partnership Committee, which works jointly with the World Council of Credit Unions to aid the growing credit union system in the Baltic nation of Estonia. DeTuncq has twice traveled to Estonia as part of a delegation of Virginia credit union representatives helping the Estonian credit union system link into Estonia’s national banking system.

The Estonian credit union system is facing fierce competitive pressure from huge foreign banks that dominate the local financial services marketplace. The Virginia League’s Partnership Committee, with assistance from UVA Community Credit Union, helps the Estonian movement improve its marketing, technology and regulatory environment to better compete with its banking competitors.

DeTuncq was instrumental in organizing an international Credit Union Symposium in 2012 at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. The symposium sought answers to some of the credit union system’s most pressing issues, including improving the credit union charter, addressing regulatory challenges and preparing for America’s changing demographics. It drew credit union leaders from across America and the globe.

“I’ve really loved working for a financial institution that embraces its social mission, and which believes the needs of its members must always be the priority,” said DeTuncq. “It’s such a wonderful group of peers managing Virginia’s credit unions, as well. I feel fortunate to have made lifelong friends within the credit union system.”