DURHAM, N.C. – So called mainstream credit unions and community development credit unions need each other and can cooperate on achieving mutual goals, said Fred Becker, CEO of NAFCU, speaking at the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions' annual conference. "To me," Becker told attendees, "CDCUs embody the very essence of what the credit union community is all about: people helping people. Without any doubt, CDCUs show how vital the mission of credit union service is." Becker noted that every year, about 300 or more credit unions-most of them with small assets-disappear through mergers and liquidations. The Federation's community partnership program, which facilitates the partnering of bigger credit unions with smaller ones, has already provided many success stories, Becker said, including partnerships involving NAFCU members such as Navy FCU and The Summit FCU. "I think one of the reasons why the Federation's community partnership program has been so effective is the underlying theme of unity that has become a hallmark of the credit union community," Becker said. "In our industry, partnerships are more than just business agreements-they are symbols of shared values and ideals."