KETCHIKAN, Alaska – The Alaska CU League may only have 13 member credit unions, but it knows how to put on quite a conference. The League, now run solely by volunteers, recently wrapped up its 29th Annual Conference in Ketchikan, Alaska, a city in Southeast Alaska of just 11,000 people. The conference featured a number of notable speakers including NCUA Board member JoAnn Johnson and nationally-known speaker and consultant Joan Lloyd. Among the highlights of the conference were a silent auction that raised money for CUNA's PAC; a keynote speech by Credit Union Times Publisher Mike Welch covering a potpourri of issues; an address from Johnson covering the new FOM rule and the proposed business lending rule; and of course the dramatic Alaskan landscape. The League also selected its Executives of the Year winners. Billie Blanchard, president/CEO of Military and Civilian FCU; and Keith Fernandez, Assistant VP of Marketing at Denali Alaska FCU, received the honors. Blanchard has been in the financial services industry for 11 years and has a long history of community involvement including as president for the Association of the U.S. Army-Polar Beach Chapter; Chairperson for the Armed Forces YMCA-Fairbanks Satellite; among others. Fernandez has helped expand Denali Alaskan's financial education efforts among young people in Anchorage. A journalism graduate from the University of Missouri, he also helped oversee the CU's move to a new headquarters facility. Nancy Usera, SVP of Corporate Development for Alaskan USA FCU, accepted the Capital Circle Award given to the League by CUNA for the league's efforts in raising money from Alaska CUs for CUNA's PAC. Usera is trustee for the state's PAC fundraising efforts. Alaska CUs exceeded their 2002 PAC goals by 23%, raising some $14,000. [email protected]