Today is International Credit Union Day; celebrate by exercising your freedom to choose!

Freedom of choice is something most of us in the US take for granted.  We have hundreds of different restaurants to choose from.  We have dozens of auto manufactures competing for our garage space.  We even now have multiple Smartphone platforms to choose from to access the thousands of apps out there to spend our time on.   We are used to having choices in everything we do.

Most non-credit union people out there would feel that they have that same freedom of choice when it comes to their banking options, but if they only consider banks to do their banking do they really?  Banks, even under different names and different sizes all offer pretty much the same product, for the same reason…profit.

Banks may call their products by different names or have unique taglines, but they all focus on the same bottom line.  Like fast food burger joints.  One might have arches and another a crown but at the end of dinner they basically sell the same product at basically the same price to basically the same demographic.  Sure, the prize in the kid’s meal changes from time to time but you can always still get fries with that. 

Credit unions are like a Chipotle restaurant stuck in the burger joint mix.  We might not have as vast a menu and there are not as many of us out there, but if you look at the quality of what we offer, you can taste the difference.  The long term effects are far more positive dining at a place that serves fresh, simply prepared food.  The long term effects of dealing with a credit union are positive as well, less debt and increased wealth.  Facts prove it.  Wastelines and wallets don’t lie.

So this year, for ICU Day, celebrate the freedom of choice that credit unions give people.  We allow the members in our markets the freedom to do their banking a different way.  We allow them the freedom to have a vote, and a voice.  They have the freedom to choose among themselves who will lead them on the board.  They have the freedom to be treated as an owner and not just a number.  They have the freedom to choose people over profits.  It is why we do what we do and why October 21^st 2010 will certainly be a day I feel very proud of my credit union and the hard work we do day after day for our members.  Viva para la elección!