Manchester Resident Honored by Credit Union National Association

American Eagle Financial Credit Union is pleased to announce that Ron Duenas, Member Experience Analyst, has been selected to attend “Crash the GAC 2018,” by The Cooperative Trust and Credit Union National Association to represent Connecticut.

Crash the GAC is a career-changing program for young credit union professionals that allows them to experience CUNA’s Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in a dynamic way with exclusive networking opportunities and mentoring sessions. These have previously included industry leaders from organizations such as Filene Research Institute, National Credit Union Foundation, Credit Union National Association, and CUNA Mutual Group.

“I am honored to represent Connecticut in this program for young credit union professionals. I look forward to the education, networking, and personal experiences at the conference in Washington DC,” said Duenas.

Duenas emerged as a finalist selected from other young credit union professionals in a competitive application process. He joined American Eagle FCU in July 2015 as a Senior Personal Financial Representative at the Newington branch. During 2017, he worked as a Digital Marketing Specialist and was instrumental in the development and launch of the Credit Union’s new website in January 2018. In his current role, Duenas works on the Credit Union’s Member Experience & Innovation team. Prior to joining American Eagle, Duenas worked at another Hartford-area credit union for seven years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Central Connecticut State University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Hartford. He resides in Manchester, CT.

“The Crashers program is great for young credit union professionals, for GAC, and for the entire movement,” said CUNA CEO and President Jim Nussle. “The Crashers get to network and participate in the premier event of the credit union industry, the GAC benefits from their enthusiasm and fresh perspectives, and the movement is invigorated by a new generation of fired-up advocates who have learned how to reach out to legislators to effect change.” Credit Union National Association provides Crashers with a complimentary registration fee to attend the conference, and many state leagues and associations provide scholarships or other financial assistance. This year 78 Crashers will attend Crash the GAC, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“As we continue to grow The Cooperative Trust and Crash opportunities, we’re always challenging ourselves to elevate and advance the program to provide the most impact for young professionals and the credit union system,” says Lauren Culp, Manager of The Cooperative Trust. “We know that it’s more important than ever that young people have a voice and are included in the conversation as we look to the future of our industry. This year, thanks to the generous donations of several forward-thinking credit unions, we’re thrilled to provide the Crash the GAC opportunity to an additional 26 young professionals.”

About American Eagle Financial Credit Union: AEFCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut. It is the largest community credit union in Connecticut with 13 community offices, 130,000 members, and $1.6 billion in assets. The Credit Union offers banking services to everyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school and businesses in Hartford, Middlesex, New Haven, and Tolland counties in CT. Employees of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft founded the Credit Union in January 1935. Member deposits are federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a U.S. government agency. For more information, visit www.americaneagle.org.

About The Cooperative Trust: The Cooperative Trust, with its award-winning Crash programming, is the international community of young credit union professionals, brought to you by Filene Research Institute and made possible by Credit Union National Association. For more information, visit, http://trust.coop.

About Filene: Filene Research Institute is an independent, consumer finance think and do tank dedicated to scientific and thoughtful analysis about issues affecting the future of credit unions, retail banking and cooperative finance. Filene is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Nearly 1,000 members make
the Institute’s research, innovation, and impact programs possible. For more information, visit www.filene.org.

About CUNA: Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the only national association that advocates on behalf of all of America’s credit unions, which are owned by more than 100 million consumer members. CUNA, along with its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, delivers unwavering advocacy, continuous professional growth, and operational confidence to protect the best interests of all credit unions. For more information, visit www.cuna.org.