Common Themes Emerge at US-Mexico Meeting

(US-Mexico meeting, Ontario, CA. Pictured is (left to right): Tomás Carrizales,
Federacion Alianza, Ramón Imperial Zúñiga, Cirilo Rivera Rivera, Josefina Cerda Moreno from Caja Popular
Mexicana, Sylvia Lyon, New Mexico Credit Union Association.)

In an unprecedented meeting, the Mexico-United States partnerships
convened at the California Credit Union League in Ontario, CA on April
24 and 25 to conduct individual strategic planning sessions and
come up with a common strategy that leverages
the strengths of the credit unions in each country.

The CEO's of the Mexican Cajas were present(Federacion Alianza,
Caja Libertad,Caja Popular Mexicana,Caja Morelia Valladolid)
along with the CEO's of the Texas, California, and North Carolina Credit
Union Leagues, and the COO of the Arizona Credit Union League.

Carlos Calderon (CEO, OAS Credit Union in Washington, DC) led the main
brainstorming session where key areas of action were identified: enhanced
delivery service, internships, Hispanic marketing and growth strategies.
These main actions would help US credit unions attract more members from
the Latino community and also help the Mexican cajas create the
transactional volume needed for new cross-border enhanced delivery
channels such as shared branching and increased remmittances activity.

WOCCU, taking advantage of the strong relationship between the US credit
unions and Mexican cajas, will launch a total immersion program which will help to
facilitate membership growth and transactional volume.  The program
will include four main components: Spanish classes, internship at a credit union
branch, cultural exposure through home stays with host families, and
targeted marketing instruction by the Cajas.  The program will take place from
September 15 to 30, 2007 in Queretaro and Guanajuato, Mexico and will cost less
than $150 a day.  Participants will be able to take advantage of the credit union
differences in Mexico.  The program deadline is July 31.

WOCCU will also be organizing a summit in September to create
an effective strategy to recruit and retain members from the Latino community and
to diversify established credit unions.  WOCCU is opening offices throughout Central
and South America to position itself to help teach these techniques of membership
growth.

For more information, read the press release.