It may not be as remunerative as heading a credit union, but the former CEO of an East St. Louis credit union is finding success in a new line of business: running a wedding chapel-on-wheels, something quirky enough to draw national and even worldwide media exposure.
Darrell Best, the former CEO of Metro East CU, now Scott CU in Collinsville, Ill., operates Best Wedding Chapel out of his Shelbyville, Ill., home. He travels to rural communities across the U.S. where Best, now a minister, performs low-priced weddings.
The mobile wedding service was featured last month on the ABC show "World News With Charles Gibson" and has been a staple on cable shows in the Midwest for more than a year as well as in wire service stories carried as far away as the United Kingdom.
Before leaving the credit union field and setting up his southern Illinois operation, Best was well known on the Illinois lobbying circuit as a member of the Washington and Springfield Hike the Hill treks and as president of the Southern Illinois Chapter of the Illinois Credit Union League. He also made frequent trips to D.C. to participate in grassroots CUNA demonstrations.
CEO of Metro East for 10 years, he previously held a similar job at Motor Coach Employees CU in Illinois.
Best said he does miss being with his CU friends but not necessarily the day-to-day task of running a CU. "I do find what I do now very fulfilling," he said.
The mobile weddings are now a family business, with his wife and sons becoming ministers and helping out in the ceremonies contained in the mobile white-painted facility complete with pews, organ and stained glass.
Best travels the country in a converted 1942 American La France truck he purchased in 2001. The family has also purchased a historic church building in Shelbyville for the business.
--jrubenstein@cutimes.com
Darrell Best, the former CEO of Metro East CU, now Scott CU in Collinsville, Ill., operates Best Wedding Chapel out of his Shelbyville, Ill., home. He travels to rural communities across the U.S. where Best, now a minister, performs low-priced weddings.
The mobile wedding service was featured last month on the ABC show "World News With Charles Gibson" and has been a staple on cable shows in the Midwest for more than a year as well as in wire service stories carried as far away as the United Kingdom.
Before leaving the credit union field and setting up his southern Illinois operation, Best was well known on the Illinois lobbying circuit as a member of the Washington and Springfield Hike the Hill treks and as president of the Southern Illinois Chapter of the Illinois Credit Union League. He also made frequent trips to D.C. to participate in grassroots CUNA demonstrations.
CEO of Metro East for 10 years, he previously held a similar job at Motor Coach Employees CU in Illinois.
Best said he does miss being with his CU friends but not necessarily the day-to-day task of running a CU. "I do find what I do now very fulfilling," he said.
The mobile weddings are now a family business, with his wife and sons becoming ministers and helping out in the ceremonies contained in the mobile white-painted facility complete with pews, organ and stained glass.
Best travels the country in a converted 1942 American La France truck he purchased in 2001. The family has also purchased a historic church building in Shelbyville for the business.
--jrubenstein@cutimes.com
