Arizona Credit Union System Host CU Staff Trip to Mexico

Phoenix, Ariz. - The Arizona Credit Union System, in conjunction with the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), recently took a group of Arizona credit union representatives to Queretaro, Mexico, to visit ACUS's partner credit union, Caja Libertad, for a week-long, fact- finding tour of the credit union's marketing efforts.

During the weeklong trip, the group visited Caja Libertad's headquarter offices and held meetings with the credit union's marketing department to find out how the credit union promotes services to their Latino membership.

The group had an opportunity to meet two of Caja Libertad's members who shared their stories of how the credit union provided them with loans to start their businesses. They also visited two local branch offices to see first-hand how the credit union's marketing efforts have helped to attract new members. "Visiting Caja Libertad was a wonderful experience. This credit union shares the same philosophy as Pima Federal Credit Union when it comes to caring about its members and the communities they serve," said Bea Vidal, Business Development Director with Pima FCU, noting that the information they shared would be helpful in their marketing efforts. Vidal was impressed with Caja Libertad's operations and expressed her thanks to the League and her credit union for their support in organizing and supporting the trip.

Arizona credit union delegates were impressed with Caja Libertad's focus on member services and on the amount of research into they had done on their members' preferences and concerns.

"I learned so much - from community sponsorship ideas, to what colors Latinos prefer to see in commercials," stated Laura Lowe Edgar, Director of Community Services for Arizona Federal Credit Union. "It exceeded my expectations and then some."

Caja Libertad participates in WOCCU's International Partnership Program and is partnered with the Arizona Credit Union System.

World Council of Credit Unions is the global trade association and development agency for credit unions. World Council promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.

World Council has implemented more than 290 technical assistance programs in 71 countries. Worldwide, 51,000 credit unions in 100 countries serve 196 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.