BALTIMORE — A walk down memory lane filled with tears, laughter and accolades set the stage for the Alonzo Swann and Tawana James, this year's recipients of the Peter Crear Lifetime Achievement Award.

Swann currently serves at regional director of NCUA Region III and is responsible for coordinating examination activities for more than 1,800 federal credit unions in 10 states, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. He started his career with the regulator back in 1983 as an examiner. James is the director of NCUA's Office of Small Credit Union Initiatives and traces her career back to 1983 when she came to the agency as a temporary accounting technician.

The Aug. 10 award ceremony featured snapshots of both Swann and James during their early years at NCUA and also with family and friends. Letters from NCUA Chairman JoAnn Johnson and others across the country who could not be there were read to the packed room. Pete Crear, of which the African-American Credit Union Coalition created the award in his honor in August 2003, served as master of ceremonies for the dinner occasion.