Nicaragua and MDDCCUA renew partnership!

The Maryland and District of Columbia Credit Union Association recently welcomed visitors from the Nicaraguan Central Service Organization, Juan Altamirano, CEO of the CSO, and German Membreno, CSO Vice Chairman and CEO of Dinamica Credit Union. The trip included attending MDDCCUA’s Annual Meeting and Convention, where the theme was “CSI: Common Sense Innovations” – highlighting the marriage of the practical with the cutting edge. Approximately 700 credit union board members and managers were in attendance. The visitors were invited to participate in the convention’s educational sessions and also in several visits to credit unions in the Baltimore-Washington area.

MDDCCUA CEO Michael Beall, who hosted the visit with Sarah Turner, MDDCCUA Vice President of Strategic Alliances, explained, “The topics covered during this convention—growth, governance and services—are challenges both MDDCUA and CSO face. Through the partnership exchange, we can overcome these challenges together.”

CSO and the former DC Credit Union League established a partnership through the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) International Partnerships program in 2002. The visit marked the first meeting between CSO and the new MDCCUA since the DC and Maryland credit union leagues merged last year.

In July, MDDCCUA will send two volunteers to Nicaragua to provide training on nominating committee and governance best practices. In coming years, MDDCCUA will provide technical assistance to CSO on shared branching, and CSO will work with credit unions in DC and Maryland to enhance outreach to immigrant groups.

The partners concluded that the visit had an important impact on both sides, and displayed one of the most valuable outcomes of a partnership, the bonds that grow between the people of different cultures, especially when they have the commitment of credit union development.