Gary Plank Steps Up as WOCCU's New Board Chairman

(Rome, Italy) - The World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. (WOCCU) announces the appointment of Gary Plank as its board chairman. Plank, CEO of the Arizona Credit Union League, begins a two-year term of office after being sworn in at WOCCU's 2005 World Credit Union Conference in Rome, Italy. He was previously 1st vice chairman, from 2003-2005. He joined the board in 1997.

Plank is a credit union veteran, having served the movement in many different roles. He was CEO of the Minnesota League of Credit Unions from 1983-1996 and has held various positions at the Iowa Credit Union League, culminating in the post of executive vice president. From 1971-1973 he was the managing director of the South Dakota Credit Union League. He has also been active as a member of the CUNA executive committee and the CUNA board of directors.

As chairman, Plank will oversee WOCCU's efforts to provide quality credit unions for everyone. He will travel to all inhabited continents to promote financial services for those who are forgotten by larger banks and savings institutions. He will work on issues of good governance as well, and help fledgling credit unions lobby for protective legislation guaranteeing members' savings. Plank said he was "excited and honored to serve WOCCU in this new capacity."

El Consejo Mundial de Cooperativas de Ahorro y Crédito es la asociación gremial y agencia de desarrollo para el sistema internacional de cooperativas de ahorro y crédito. El Consejo Mundial promueve el crecimiento sustentable de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito y otras cooperativas financieras en todo el mundo a fin de facultar a las personas para que mejoren su calidad de vida a través del acceso a servicios financieros asequibles y de alta calidad. El Consejo Mundial realiza esfuerzos de defensa activa en representación del sistema global de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito ante organizaciones internacionales y trabaja con gobiernos nacionales para mejorar la legislación y la regulación. Sus programas de asistencia técnica introducen nuevas herramientas y tecnologías para fortalecer el desempeño financiero de las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito y profundizar su alcance comunitario.

El Consejo Mundial ha implementado 290 programas de asistencia técnica en 71 países. A nivel mundial, 51,000 cooperativas de ahorro y crédito en 100 países atienden a 196 millones de personas. Obtenga más información sobre el impacto global del Consejo Mundial en www.woccu.org.