(August 22, 2006 – New York, NY)  The National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (the Federation) has expanded and redeployed its staff in order to better serve its expanding membership of community development and partner credit unions.

Pablo DeFilippi has joined the Federation in the newly created position of Associate Director for Membership Development, based in Madison, WI.  DeFilippi will be responsible for enhancing services to the Federation’s 225 member CDCUs as well as its Community Development Partners, larger institutions that have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to bring credit union services to the underserved.

“I believe that through its programs and services, the Federation provides critical assistance and expertise to credit unions interested in serving underserved communities,” said DeFilippi. “I’m thrilled to join the Federation in this new capacity and to be a part of such an extraordinary team dedicated to working with credit unions, small and large, that empower people of modest means with the financial tools to improve their lives and realize their dreams,” he added.

DeFilippi brings to the Federation extensive experience in the credit union movement locally, nationally, and internationally.  Born in Chile, where he worked as a school teacher, he enrolled in a Federation training program in 1990 upon immigrating to New York City.  He worked at the largest credit union in New York City, Municipal CU, and later joined Lower East Side Peoples’ FCU (LESPFCU), rising to CEO and managing the growth that has made it the largest CDCU in New York City and one of the most innovative nation-wide.   After leaving LESPFCU, he managed IrNet, the World Council of Credit Union’s international remittance program, and served as a consultant to the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA).  A former board member of the Federation, he played a major role in organizing its recent Latino Credit Union Conference in Durham, NC.

“Pablo has a unique combination of credit union management experience at the grassroots level, with a broad perspective on the credit union system and its many components,” said Federation Executive Director Cliff Rosenthal.  “He has a tremendous amount to offer to credit unions of all sizes and types that want to serve members of modest means more effectively.”

 
The relocation of a seasoned Federation staff member, Valerie Harrison, to Colorado Springs, CO will further strengthen the Federation’s national coverage, said Rosenthal.  Ms. Harrison manages two networks that are unique in the credit union world.  Since 2000, she has managed the Federation’s Faith-Based Credit Union Network, which helps credit unions of many denominations better serve African-American, Latino, Asian, and other groups.  The network will be holding its biannual national conference in New Orleans, June 6-7, 2007.  Ms. Harrison also directs the Federation’s Disability Outreach Network, which helps credit unions develop programs and products to reach more deeply into that largely low-income, vastly underserved population. 

The Federation, which is headquartered in lower Manhattan, has members in 45 states, from Vermont to Hawaii. “As opportunity and need present themselves, we will consider further geographic diversification,” Rosenthal said.  “Technology has made it possible even for relatively small organizations to maintain virtually seamless operations across the nation.”