5 Niche Trade Groups Brim With Special Services

Postal, Firefighters Credit Unions Among Those With a Trade Group to Call Their Own
BY CANDICE REED CU Times

National Coalition of Firefighters Credit Unions

The National Coalition of Firefighters Credit Unions offers its services to all credit unions primarily serving firefighters and their families. Formally founded in 2008 by 25 credit unions after meeting since 1999, paid membership is voluntary; funds received go toward providing conference scholarships and access to benefits.

NCOFCU offers educational conferences and scholarships, networking opportunities with credit union colleagues through its website, “Firefighters Credit Union Community”, access to a membership database, shared policies and procedures, discussion forums, an exclusive CEO listserv network, an exclusive volunteer listserv network, and member discounts on services.

“After attending many conferences, serving as a volunteer director and firefighter and later CEO of a firefighter credit union, I found myself sitting in rooms filled with people I really didn’t know, and not much in common with,” said Grant Sheehan, the group’s CEO. 

“It was then that I decided to look to putting the directors and staff of firefighter credit unions in the same room. From that point on, the attending firefighters and staff found that the brotherhood of firefighters and CEOs bonding and an open roundtable sharing of ideas and solutions was a terrific benefit that they have not found at any other conferences they have attended,” Sheehan said.   Read Complete Article  See all 5