By William J. Mellin, President/CEO, New York Credit Union Association

It’s hard to believe it’s already mid-October, and in just a few days, we will once again be celebrating International Credit Union Day. ICU Day—and by extension, ICU Week—is an important chance to tell the credit union story to the public.

The New York credit union movement was founded well over 100 years ago to provide fair and honest financial services to individuals from all walks of life. Clearly, we’ve grown significantly during that time and many credit unions now offer far more advanced services than basic loans. But at our core, credit unions are still delivering on our most basic principle: people helping people. And that is the essence of this year’s ICU Day theme; credit unions are a platinum lining for all New Yorkers and all Americans.

This year marks the 70th anniversary—the platinum anniversary—of ICU Day. As we prepare to celebrate this notable event, we should also take note of the many partners that have assisted credit unions in carrying out their mission each day.

CUNA Mutual Group has been a platinum partner of the New York credit union movement for many years. They continue to provide extraordinary support to the New York Credit Union Association, the state’s credit unions and the greater credit union community worldwide.

Every year, CUNA Mutual Group provides direct support to the Association and the credit union system; they sponsor many of the Association’s events, including our annual Meeting & Convention; they go above-and-beyond when it comes to disaster relief; and they ensure the Association and the state’s credit unions have the resources we need to succeed.

In short, CUNA Mutual Group is a remarkable partner for the credit union movement, and they should be acknowledged during this remarkable celebration. They make the New York credit union community and global credit union movement a stronger and more vibrant industry.

This Thursday, on ICU Day, let’s show consumers how they can find their platinum lining in credit unions. We’ve been here for consumers for over a century, to help and guide them along their financial journey. And fortunately, CUNA Mutual Group has always been here for us.