Contact: Christine Henzig, CUDE
Director of Communications
The Wisconsin Credit Union League
(262) 408-6019 direct (262) 549-0200 main (800) 242-0833 – toll free (262) 549-7722 fax
www.theleague.coop
Pewaukee, WI—Jim Drogue, The League’s Senior VP of Credit Union Development and Fundraising and a resident of Sun Prairie, Wis., is retiring May 15 after a 37-year career with credit unions that has improved the financial well-being of citizens and communities in Wisconsin and nationwide. Credit unions are member-owned financial institutions—cooperatives that return profits to account holders, not shareholders.
Drogue, who spent close to 25 years in lending and management for the former Commonwealth Credit Union in Sun Prairie (now Summit Credit Union), became a leader in the credit union industry for his work over the past 12 years with The Wisconsin Credit Union League, credit unions’ state-level trade association. When he joined The League in 2001 as Senior Consultant, he assisted credit unions statewide with their operations. But in 2004, as The League’s VP of Credit Union Development, he worked with Wisconsin credit unions to launch a voluntary effort by credit unions called REAL Solutions® that develops financially healthier families and communities.
The program began in partnership with Madison’s Filene Research Institute to help credit unions offer consumer-friendly alternatives to costly check cashing services. But with Drogue’s guidance, it grew to help credit unions improve their members’ wealth-building, financial education, community service and outreach to unbanked and financially underserved groups, including young adults and new Americans.
As part of that initiative, since the recession began in 2007, Wisconsin credit unions have saved their 2.4 million depositors close to $1 billion through lower rates on loans, higher rates on savings accounts, and lower and fewer fees on financial services. The impact of the initiative for 2012, which includes support for more than 3,000 charities and causes, is detailed in credit unions’ Scorecard, at www.theleague.coop/scorecard. With Drogue’s guidance, credit unions received seven top honors in seven years for improving Wisconsin citizens’ financial savvy.
Today, as the signature program of the National Credit Union Foundation, REAL Solutions® involves credit unions in 40 states and saves $6 billion in annual benefits for America’s 96 million credit union members. More than 90,000 Americans visited www.aSmarterChoice.org in 2012 to reap the rewards of credit union membership.
“Jim’s work has improved and helped quantify the value that consumers derive by owning the financial institution where they borrow and save,” said League President & CEO Brett Thompson. “We wish him the best and thank him on behalf of the many consumers whose pocketbooks are healthier thanks to his leadership.”
