Chatfield Honored for Elder Financial Abuse Prevention

SAN FRANCISCO – David L. Chatfield, president and CEO of the California Credit Union League, received the Leadership Award from the Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN) at the group’s second annual “Call to Action” luncheon on November 5. “EFPN’s success is owed to the significant contributions of partners like the League,” said Jenefer Duane, EFPN CEO and executive director. “We applaud Dave, the League and California credit unions for their extraordinary efforts in the fight against elder financial abuse.” Chatfield was one of several public and private sector officials – including California Attorney General Bill Lockyer – recognized for their efforts in the fight against elder financial abuse. “The California Credit Union League and indeed all credit unions in California are committed to the protection of our members from financial elder abuse,” Chatfield said. “Credit unions across the state are working to prevent elder financial abuse. As a result of such efforts, crimes have been averted, saving potential victims hundreds of thousands of dollars.” He also praised the efforts of several credit unions for taking a leadership role in fighting elder financial abuse, including Altura Credit Union in Riverside, Calif.; Spectrum Federal Credit Union in San Francisco; and Star One Credit Union in Sunnyvale, Calif. The program also featured a preview of EFPN’s new “Be Wise” online program to train financial institution employees to recognize warning signs of possible financial abuse of elder consumers. The Elder Financial Protection Network, a non-profit corporation based in Novato, Calif., is dedicated to the prevention of financial exploitation of seniors and dependent adults through community outreach, public awareness initiatives, and coordination of training for financial institution personnel to recognize and report suspected financial abuse. -