ST. PAUL, Minn. – October 28 was a busy day for the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN). The organization held two important events on the same day. First, MnCUN hosted its open house for Minnesota credit unions at its new headquarters in downtown St. Paul, directly across the freeway from the state capitol which it moved into in late August. More than 100 people attended the official ribbon-cutting ceremony including city, state and credit union dignitaries. Participants included Kevin Chandler, MnCUN President/CEO; Bill Raker, MnCUN Board chairman and president/CEO, US FCU; Larry Dowell, president, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce; and Minnesota Department of Commerce Commissioner Glenn Wilson and Deputy Commissioner Kevin Murphy. Also on Oct. 28, MnCUN hosted a legislative roundtable for Minnesota House Commerce Committee freshmen. At that event, fourth-term Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights), a member of the Committee, shared his prediction that the 2006 state legislative session "will be short, sweet and get out of Dodge." According to MnCUN, following the 2005 state legislative session, "most Minnesotans would agree that a short session would be a welcome change", especially "in a legislative environment where special sessions have become a lot more "routine" and a lot less "special."" Atkins told attendees that legislators would be working hard in the 2006 session to shed the "do nothing" label Minnesotans branded them with in 2005. He was joined by two freshmen members of the House Commerce Committee, Reps. Tina Liebling (DFL-Rochester) and Diane Loeffler (DFL-Minneapolis) who took questions and addressed a group of 19 including constituents from both districts. MnCUN also used the event to discuss the credit union difference with the legislators, and the organization's lobbying team, headed up by Governmental Affairs Director Joe Matthews, received high marks from Rep. Atkins. "I can't imagine a better team than those who represent you. The lobbying team is always there, and we know we're getting the whole story. These folks give us the good and bad, tell the whole story, have the highest integrity, and work their tails off. That's the kind of team credit unions have here. I look forward to our ongoing relationship," Rep. Atkins told the CU representatives. -

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