Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is the international credit union system’s highest honor, first presented by World Council in 1986 to recognize member organizations and individuals for their outstanding contributions to credit union development outside their home country. 

Nomination Categories

World Council member organizations may submit nominations in the following categories:

DSA Individual: Individuals who have provided exemplary service to the international credit union movement and have positively influenced credit union development outside their home country qualify for the individual category.

DSA Institutional: Organizations that have provided financial and technical assistance over an extended period of time to develop international credit union movements and their service infrastructure may be nominated in the institutional category.


Nominations for the 2023 Distinguished Service Award are closed. 2024 nominations will open early next year.

2023 Winners

Oleg Lebedko

Oleg Lebedko, CEO, Ukrainian Federal Credit Union, received a 2023 Distinguished Service Award for international credit union work in Ukraine, specifically since the country declared its independence in 1991. Since 2017, Lebedko has participated as a volunteer for the WOCCU Credit for Agriculture Producers’ (CAP) Project, traveling to Kyiv to create a strategic plan for the All-Ukrainian Credit Union Association (AUCUA). In 2021, Lebedko began serving on WOCCU’s International Governance Committee for the CAP Project.

Brian Branch

Brian Branch, former President and CEO, World Council of Credit Unions, received a 2023 Distinguished Service Award for his 31 years of service to World Council of Credit Unions. During his career, Branch traveled to and worked in 104 countries, developing programs to start credit unions, conduct management training, expand outreach, build networks, improve regulatory environments and introduce technological innovations. Branch spent his last decade with WOCCU serving as president and CEO from 2011-21.


Past Winners