Umholtz Joins Coalition for Credit Union Charter Options

WASHINGTON – The Coalition for Credit Union Charter Options, an organization of former credit union executives which lobbies for credit unions’ ability to convert their charters to those of mutual banks, has picked up another CU figure. Marvin Umholtz, a one time lobbyist with CUNA’s governmental affairs department in Washington and a well-known credit union industry figure has joined the team. Umholtz will serve as the Coalition’s Membership Director and in a press release announcing his new tenure called the Coalition “the voice of reason.” “I spent 20 years as a registered lobbyist at the state and national levels fighting to expand credit union choices,” Umholtz said. “Lately, I have been shocked to see the self-appointed `philosophy police’ imposing their biases and trying to limit choices of credit unions.” Lee Bettis, Coalition executive director, said that in the weeks to come Unmholz would contact credit union leaders as part of a membership drive for the coalition. Currently the Coalition has not been public about its membership, but is associated with a noted banking lobbying firm, the Washington D.C.-based Butera and Andrews. The Coalition also uses the same firm to develop its Web site, the Sierra Corporation, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, as Butera and Andrews uses.