The National Credit Union Foundation recently graduated 42 credit union managers and executives from two countries at its week-long Credit Union Development Education training.

The graduates came from the U.S. and Ghana, the NCUF said.

During the week-long program, participants were involved in group exercises, encouraged to ask questions of visiting speakers, and required to complete team projects proposing solutions for credit unions.

“We refresh the studies every year, incorporating challenges credit unions face today while continuing to provide critical lessons in cooperative principles and credit union philosophy,” said Lois Kitsch, national program director for NCUF.

“It is timeliness that we strive for in the entire DE training experience as participants work through critical issues that include interchange legislation, mergers and small credit unions, growth plan, financial capability plans, 2012 as the 'Year of the Cooperative,' and credit union development in Iraq,” Kitsch said.

“The DE experience has reignited my passion for working in the credit union movement,” said Meghann Dawson, an instructional design manager at CUNA. “It has provided a solid foundation with cooperative principles, credit union philosophy and global development issues.”