Simpson: Advocacy is essential, not optional

From credit unions large and small, there’s “urgency of our shared mission” to preserve the cooperative finance model in the wake of banker attacks and competitive threats. America’s Credit Unions President/CEO Scott Simpson detailed the case for unified advocacy in an op-ed published in Tyfone Wednesday.
  
“Credit unions are more than financial institutions. You are facilitators of economic freedom, stewards of financial prosperity, and defenders of a model that puts people before profit. But we are also a family,” he wrote. “And like any family, we must be intentional about staying connected and having difficult conversations, especially in times of uncertainty.” 

While opponents attack the credit union movement for growth, Simpson notes that “at no point does the mission stop being the north star.” Credit unions remain committed to their founding philosophy, and the impact they have on people’s lives and communities demonstrates that. 

Simpson points to the fact that banks have closed more than 20,000 branches since 2012, while credit unions have opened a net 500 branches over that period. More recently, credit unions across the country identified solutions to help members affected by the recent historic government shutdown.  

“That’s why advocacy isn’t optional. It’s essential. And it’s why we need every voice, from the smallest to the largest, to help us see what they see, feel what they feel, and understand what they face. The cooperative spirit of the credit union movement grounds and guides us,” Simpson writes. 

Read the op-ed