FREEPORT, Texas -- Often the credit union philosophy of peoplehelping people shines brightest when the skies turn thedarkest.

In 2005, when Edward Speed, CEO of the $1.3 billion Texas DowEmployees Credit Union and a private pilot, heard that the $150million Dow Louisiana Federal Credit Union desperately needed cashin the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the answer wasobvious.

He packed $600,000 in his small plane and, with another TexasDow executive flew it to Baton Rouge, La., where Dow Louisiana CEOJeff Hendrickson accepted it and put it to use in the recoveryeffort.

Now, as Hurricane Ike (see related article, page 1) bore down onthe county where Texas Dow has its headquarters, Hendrickson andDow Louisiana FCU returned the favor, not with cash but withassistance to bring Texas Dow back on line and their experience inhurricane recovery.

As it turned out, the offer was needed "and it was fortunate tohave Dow Louisiana staffers staying on the phone with us for longperiods giving us advice on how to keep branches open," said Speed,noting also that his CU was lucky to miss suffering major propertydamage.

"You all were here in a moment's notice when we needed you--andwe are going to be there for you," Hendrickson wrote in an e-mailto Speed, who evacuated along with 250 of Texas Dow employees.Hendrickson had offered Texas Dow office space, phone centers, helpwith ACH and other transaction problems, and even sending employeesif necessary,

"We will be glad to provide any information to help you all makethe best choices for recovery," Hendrickson wrote.

"You can write that we will most certainly be taking them up ontheir offer," Speed said from his cell phone as he moved with theother employees to safety. "The experience they have of goingthrough storms and getting down branches back open and on line isgoing to be invaluable," he added.

Texas Dow's headquarters is located in Brazoria County nearFreeport, the home of major Dow operations, which were alsobattered by the hurricane. Speed noted that the CU's headquartersis about five miles from the beach on land that is, at most, 15feet above sea level.

"We're actually doing OK," Speed said. "Obviously this issomething you think about and we have some extensive plans in placethat we have activated."

As with many credit unions during Ike's destructive path, thoseplans included participating in shared branching so that membersperhaps far flung from the storm could have easier access to theiraccounts.

Speed also reported the credit union had invested in areinforced data center located in Hallettsville, Texas, about 200miles inland from the CU's headquarters. There, all of Texas Dow'sservers could operate in safety, records and communications weresafeguarded and member service calls taken.

"We chose the site carefully," he said. Texas Dow placed itscenter in Hallettsville in part so that it could be on a completelydifferent electrical and telephone grid than headquarters and onthe same one serving the hospital and emergency preparedness centerthere.

Hendrickson told Credit Union Times he will always be indebtedto Speed for the help his CU provided to his Baton Rouge CU afterKatrina. And after experiencing Gustav, Hendrickson said he mighthave needed his help again during Gustav. However, his CU onlysustained minor damage and, like others in the city, had to usebackup power.

"After experiencing Katrina, I understand what Ed Speed wouldhave to go through," said Hendrickson. "There is tremendous stressfacing a disaster like a hurricane because as a CEO you have somany choices and so many things to do and sometimes those vendorscan't really help."

But another CU can sometimes help, said Hendrickson. "When weheard Ike was nearing landfall, we wanted to be proactive to helpand so we called."

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Senior Correspondent Jim Rubenstein
contributed to this story.