The typical credit union board member is a 61yearold white male,has served on his board for well over a decade and has abetter-than-average chance of serving on the board for many yearsto come.

That board makeup may not be the best scenario given the growthof a more diverse population, according to a new white paper fromthe CUNA Community Credit Union Committee. The research examinesthe current demographics of community credit union board members,the issues that arise from these findings and strategies for successful board succession and retention.

Men continue to dominate board seats, according to the paper,Effective Credit Union Board Succession Planning: New DemandsShine Spotlight on Standard Practices. Credit unions with lessthan $25 million in assets are slightly more likely than those withmore than $500 million to have women on their boards. Whitesrepresent 89% of board members, African Americans 6%, Hispanics 3%and Asian/Pacific Islander 1.5%.

The white paper was prepared by George Hofheimer, chief researchofficer at Filene Research Institute.

Because most credit unions do not have a reliable system forattracting the next generation of credit union board members, somemay struggle to compete in the future, the paper noted.

To take steps toward better board succession planning, the paper suggested credit unions focus onand identify board diversity goals, reconsider term limits, requirecontinuing education and implement director self-evaluation, amongother recommendations.

The white papercan be downloaded for free on the CUNA Community Credit UnionCommittee site.