A group of Missouri female credit union executives have launcheda new professional education and advocacy group, Women'sAssociation of Credit Union Leaders, to promote women's networkingand recognition.

Months in the planning stage, the group said it already has itsown website, www.wacul.org, and has held several organizationalmeetings with active participation by female CEOs in Kansas Cityand Springfield.

If successful, WACUL may grow nationally through forums andprograms stressing a mission of enhancing skill and leadershipexperience of women in key CU jobs, said officials.

Leading the organizing effort is Lisa Ginter, chief operatingofficer of Community America CU, Kansas City, and Glenna Osborn,president of Missouri Central CU in Lee's Summit, with support alsofrom the Missouri Credit Union Association.

Ginter said the group, with a membership of 30, will be hostingevents throughout the year on topics covering leadership and socialmedia skills. The next meeting, “Gaining Strategic Perspective,”will be held Aug. 19 in Kansas City.

In organizing WACUL, the website notes that only six of the top100 CUs in the U.S. are led by women and just 1% of CUs between$250 million to $1 billion are run by women.

“Gender disparity of leadership at the top level credit unionsis surprising,” observed WACUL.

A news release said through WACUL participants “will learn tolead more effectively in their current roles and be prepared totake on more responsibility in the future.”

“I believe women are an important ingredient to any successfulbusiness, and credit unions have always been very good to women byproviding great opportunities,” Ginter said. “WACUL is designed toenhance leadership opportunities in our industry.”

There are a number of networking groups “made up of women fromvaried backgrounds, but ours specializes in the credit unionindustry,” said Osborn.

Asked to comment on the WACUL formation, a CUNA spokesman saidthe national trade group is “always working with system players tohelp the movement grow and prosper and which can help credit unionsmake insightful and powerful decisions.”

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