WASHINGTON — A highlight of the GAC each year is hosting thereception for the Credit Union Times 2014 TrailblazerAward winners.

Competition was tough again this year. Many credit unionsexperienced rebound years in 2014, driven by auto lending, astronger real estate market and technological innovations thatimproved service and efficiencies.

Here is a look at this year's winners and the reception at theRenaissance Washington hotel on Feb. 25.

A group shot of all the 2014 Trailblazer Award winners andsponsors with Credit Union Times Publisher/Editor-in-Chief SarahSnell Cooke.

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Trailblazer CEO of the Year: Joe Thomas Jr., president/CEOof the $277 million Fairfax County Federal Credit Union, led hisVirginia credit union to 50% loan growth in 2014 despite aheadquarters fire that destroyed its computer room. He's in thecenter of this shot, surrounded by family, friends andcolleagues.

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CFO of the Year, VolCorp's Jeff Merry, with NCUA Chairman DebbieMatz, center, and Heather Anderson, executive editorof Credit Union Times.

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Trailblazer Lending Executive of the Year: Corey Miller,consumer loan manager at the $831 million Northwest CommunityCredit Union in Eugene Ore., grew consumer loans by almost 20% lastyear. He's at center here, flanked by CU Times' Sarah Snell Cookeand Tony Boutelle of award sponsor CU Direct.

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Trailblazer CFO of the Year: Jeff Merry, CFO of the $1.2billion Volunteer Corporate Credit Union, has taken hiscorporate beyond Solvent Five status to become a mergersurviving and financially thriving cooperative. He's pictured herewith his wife, Tami, and daughter Morgan.

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Trailblazer Marketing Executive of the Year: Willard Ross,chief retail officer at the $2.2 billion Coastal Federal CreditUnion in Raleigh, N.C., used video tellers to boost his creditunion>s profile while streamlining operations. Here he is withCU Times' Sarah Snell Cooke on the left and award sponsor CO-OP'sCaroline Willard on the right.

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Trailblazer Outstanding Service to the Underserved: The$61 million Lower Valley Credit Union uses auto loans to provideopportunities for the underserved. Suzy Fonseca, CEO of theWashington state credit union, is at center here with CarolineWillard, executive vice president at award sponsor CO-OP FinancialServices and Publisher/Editor Sarah Snell Cooke of CU Times.

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Trailblazer IT Executive of the Year: Nicole Bowen, vicepresident of information technology at Fairfax County FCU inVirginia, got the credit union back online and on track after afire destroyed the computer room. Here she is with CU Times' SarahSnell Cooke on the left and Tracy Almquist from Symitar on theright. Symitar sponsored the award.

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Trailblazer Volunteer of the Year: Roger Mark Hall,chairman of the $12 million Greater Abbeville Federal Credit Unionin South Carolina, has always been driven by service to others.

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Trailblazer Outstanding Political Action: CO-OP's CarolineWillard, left, with Stephen Dedene of the $822 million Credit UnionONE and CU Times' Sarah Snell Cooke. Dedene led the fight againstATM skimmers by spearheading new state legislation in Michigan.

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Executive Editor Heather Anderson with Scott Waite, two-timeTrailblazer CFO of the Year from Patelco Credit Union in SanFrancisco.