Ferndale, Michigan – Credit Union ONE is pleased to announce Guadalupe Lara has been elected to serve as Chairperson of the Board of Directors. Since joining the Credit Union ONE Board of Directors, Ms. Lara has served on several committees, including the Compensation Committee and Corporate Governance Committee, where she has led the CEO performance evaluation and Board self-evaluation processes.
Ms. Lara assumes the role from Paul Stuart, who has stepped down after 13 years as Board Chair. Stuart will remain on the Board as a director.
“I am deeply honored to be elected Board Chairperson and look forward to working with my colleagues to continue the great work we do serving our members and community,” said Lara. “I want to thank the Board of Directors for its confidence in me, and I especially thank Paul Stuart for his years of leadership and service. Together with our employees, volunteers, and community partners, Credit Union ONE will continue to make a positive difference in our members’ lives.”
Gary Moody, Credit Union ONE’s Chief Executive Officer said, “I could not be more pleased that Lupe has been elected as Board Chairperson. The board’s action speaks to her strong leadership and deep commitment to our members and community. It is important that we also acknowledge and celebrate that Lupe is the first woman to Chairperson in our history. She has played a key role in shaping our strategic direction and success as an organization. Our executive team is excited to continue this success with Lupe as Board Chairperson.”
Ms. Lara is the former Corporate Director of Social Work for the Detroit Medical Center, where she dedicated 27 years advocating for families at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. She is a motivational speaker who has been recognized for her work on inclusion and workplace conflict management by over 47 organizations. Some of these recognitions include Martin Luther King Scholar by the University of Michigan, Whitney Young Scholar at Western Michigan University, Global Visiting Scholar at Arizona State University and Michigan Social Worker of the Year. Ms. Lara has been named by five different Michigan governors to lead boards and commissions for her advocacy on behalf of the underserved. She has worked in Washington D.C. at Homeland Security, United States Citizenship Immigration Services, served as Director of the Consortium of Hispanic Agencies, and as adjunct faculty at Eastern Michigan University, School of Social Work, and Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development, Inc. (LA SED).
Besides service on the Credit Union ONE Board of Directors, Ms. Lara has been a member of several boards including the National Association of Social Workers, Michigan Early Childhood Investment Corporation, New Detroit, and LA SED.
Credit Union ONE, is headquartered in Ferndale, Michigan. Organized in 1938 by five people with $51.00, the credit union now has approximately $1.8 billion in assets and provides its 125,000 members with consumer banking services such as mortgages, credit cards, auto financing, and deposit products via digital platforms and 18 branches located in Southeast Michigan, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City. eighteen offices Through its affiliation with Hantz Financial Services, members have access to a comprehensive range of investment, insurance, estate/tax planning, and advisory services. Credit Union ONE also participates in the CO-OP Network providing members access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-fee ATMs and over 5,600 branches across the United States. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook and Twitter.