BILOXI, Miss.-NCUA Chairman Dennis Dollar was inducted into the Mississippi Credit Union Hall of Fame during the Mississippi Credit Union System's Annual Conference this month. Dollar was appointed chairman of the NCUA Board on Sept. 13, 2001, but served on the board since Oct. 9, 1997. Prior to that, he was the president and CEO of $32 million Gulfport VA Federal Credit Union with more than 12,000 members and 150 employer groups. Gulf Coast Community Federal Credit Union (formerly Gulfport VA FCU) Manager Lisa Lindsey recalled in presenting the award, "On his first day as manager of Gulfport VA FCU, Dennis called all of his employees together and told us something that has stood out in my mind. He told us `My door is always open to you and our members'. And it was. His open door policy, among many other examples he set, helped teach us about the credit union philosophy." "To have been able to take the values and principles that I learned from you in Mississippi to make a difference in the credit union community nationwide and worldwide is truly one of the great honors of my life, as is this award," Dollar said. During his tenure at Gulfport VA, the credit union received the Dora Maxwell award for community service from CUNA and Small Business of the Year in 1993 for the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. Dollar was also a Credit Union Times top five finalist for CEO of the Year in 1994. At 22 Dollar served in the Mississippi House of Representatives, the state's youngest ever, for two terms. Dollar was most recently appointed to vice chairman of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council in April. The FFIEC includes the heads of the five federal financial regulatory agencies and coordinates the agency's examination and supervision programs. Betty Jean Hughes, manager and treasurer of Biloxi Teachers Federal Credit Union, was also inducted into the Mississippi Credit Union Hall of Fame during the conference. In addition to serving at Biloxi Teachers, Hughes is a former vice-president and two-term president of the Gulf Coast Chapter of Credit Unions, has served on numerous League committees, and is a graduate of the Southeast Regional Credit Union School. [email protected]