The National Credit Union Foundation announced Thursdaythat Sarah Canepa Bang, president of CO-OP SharedBranching–FSCC LLC, has won the 2014 Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Individual Achievement.

“One word to describe Sarah is 'dynamo,'” said John Gregoire,chair of NCUF Wegner Awards Selection Committee and president ofthe Madison, Wis.-based The ProCon Group. “Sarah is one of the mostimpressive, assertive, outgoing personalities in the entire creditunion movement.”

Gregoire added, “Her energy knows no bounds, helping her becomea major contributor to the success of the Credit Unions for Kidsprogram and building shared branching in to a powerhouse deliverysystem.”

Related:
HaegelinNamed Lifetime Achievement Winner
McCormack Named Lifetime AchievementWinner
Oakland Named Lifetime Achievement Winner

After beginning her credit union career at CUNA in 1983, CanepaBang filled positions at the Oregon Credit Union League andMassachusetts Credit Union League. She was named CEO of sharedbranching provider FSCC in 1999. During her tenure, she grew thefledgling organization into one of the most successful credit unionCUSOs in the nation, according to the NCUF.

Under her leadership, FSCC more than quadrupled in the number ofcredit unions, branches, and states involved in shared branchingresulting in thousands of financial access points for members, NCUFsaid. FSCC's technology also expanded to include full-servicekiosks, mobile banking, call centers, disaster recovery, and remotedeposit capture during Canepa Bang's tenure.

In 2007, the company hit another milestone when it implementedshared branching services on more than 2,200 Vcom kiosks insideselect 7-Eleven stores. In January 2012, FSCC merged into CO-OPFinancial Services to unite the two networks.

“Sarah has been the credit union system's most ardent ambassadorfor shared branching, as well as its staunchest task master,” saidDiana Dykstra, president/CEO of the California and Nevada CreditUnion Leagues.

Canepa Bang is also a longtime supporter of the Credit Unionsfor Kids program and was one of the key founders of the programwhile at the Oregon league, the NCUF said. She also played aninstrumental part in getting Children's Miracle Network Hospitalsto pick up the CU4Kids program and help it become a nationalprogram in 1997.

In 2006, she was named to the board of the Credit Union MiracleDay Foundation and was also appointed to the Credit Unions for KidsNational Advisory Board for Children's Miracle NetworkHospitals.

“In her more than 25 years of commitment to hospitalizedchildren, Sarah has always put the kids first, truly embodying thecredit union spirit and philosophy of 'people helping people,'”said John Lauck, president/CEO of Children's Miracle Network.

Canepa Bang is also involved with the World Council of CreditUnions and Defense Credit Union Council. In 2011, WOCCU named herone of their top seven people who are making a difference insupporting the world council.

“Her international involvement may be unsurpassed in the creditunion arena,” said Troy Stang, president/CEO of the NorthwestCredit Union Association. “Whether it is working with the WorldCouncil in China and Scotland or her work in advancing sharedbranching in Puerto Rico, Sarah has answered the call. These arejust a few examples of her many contributions in advancing thecredit union philosophy through action around the world.”

The award is one of four Herb Wegner Memorial awards that willbe presented at a special dinner hosted by NCUF at the Grand HyattWashington on Feb. 24, 2014. The event coincides with CUNA'sGovernmental Affairs Conference.

The NCUF said online registration for dinner tickets will beavailable later this year on the foundation's website.