Mike Mercer Elected as CUNA Chairman

DULUTH, Ga., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- During its annual board elections, the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) recently named Mike Mercer as chairman of the trade group. Mercer is president/CEO of Georgia Credit Union Affiliates (GCUA). For more than two decades, he has represented the interests of credit unions on the state, national and international levels, as well as been actively engaged in regional and international cooperative efforts.

"I've known Mike for many years and have worked very closely with him on several critical advocacy efforts that have benefitted credit unions," said CUNA President/CEO, Bill Cheney. "His leadership skills are second to none, and his broad insight into the needs of credit unions and their members makes him an excellent choice to lead the CUNA board. I'm proud to serve under his leadership." Nationally, there are over 93 million Americans who are members of credit unions. Those credit unions have assets of nearly $1 trillion.

Mercer was elected to the CUNA Board of Directors in 2005, served as Treasurer in 2010, and Vice Chairman in 2011. He served as chairman of the National Cooperative Bank, with his term expiring in 2004. He has served as a board member of U.S. Central Credit Union and as a member of CUNA Mutual Group's Research and Advisory Committee. In 1998, Mercer was elected as chairman of the Association of Credit Union League Executives. Over the years, there have been numerous other board and committee appointments at state, regional and national credit union credit union support organizations.

"The entire Georgia credit union movement congratulates Mike on this accomplishment," said Greg Connor, chairman of the Georgia Credit Union League Board of Directors. "I cannot think of another leader and advocate in the credit union movement who could better represent the issues of importance to credit unions than Mike Mercer. We look forward to his tenure as CUNA Chairman and wish him much success."

In the early 1990s, Mercer was instrumental in forging a partnership between the Georgia credit union system and the emerging credit union system in Poland. He was recognized for his work in 2004 by the National Association of Polish Credit Unions, and in 2007 was awarded the Order of the Knights Cross from the Polish government in recognition of his contributions to the growth and development of the Polish credit union systems. The award is the highest Polish governmental award given to a non-Polish citizen. Mercer was recognized for his work with Georgia credit unions as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, he is a recipient of the Eugene H. Farley League Leadership Award and the American Association of Credit Union Leagues' Eagle Award.

Mercer came to Georgia in 1980 as President of Georgia Central Credit Union. He was named to his present position in 1985. In 1979, he served as assistant to the manager at U.S. Central Credit Union in Kansas City. Mercer studied economics at the University of Rhode Island and earned his Master's degree in Banking and Finance at the University of Wisconsin. He is married with three children and two grandchildren, and makes his home near Atlanta, Georgia.

About Georgia Credit Union Affiliates
Georgia Credit Union Affiliates (GCUA) provides services and support that helps credit unions meet the financial service needs of the state's more than 1.8 million credit union members. GCUA offers advocacy, educational, operational and marketing support for Georgia's 148 credit unions, with combined total assets of over $17 billion. More information can be found at www.georgiacreditunions.org.

SOURCE Georgia Credit Union Affiliates