Kim Sponem, president/CEO of Summit Credit Union, was one ofseveral Wisconsin leaders who recently met with an official fromPresident Obama's administration to discuss business ideas, jobcreation and economic development.

The May 7 meeting at the White House took place with Mike Pyle,special assistant to the president, National Economic Council,among others.

Sponem said she was invited by Madison Mayor Paul Soglin toattend the meeting, which was facilitated by Business Forward, aWashington-based non-profit organization formed in 2008 by a groupof major corporations including AT&T, Ford, Facebook, HiltonHotels and McDonald's.

At the roundtable meeting, Sponem discussed the importance ofthe Credit Union Small Business Jobs Bill (S. 2231). Business leaders in attendance were supportive ofthe legislation, which would raise the credit union member business lending cap to 27.5% of assets, from itscurrent 12.25%, according to the $1.7 billion Summit in Madison.

“I was honored to be a part of a discussion on economicdevelopment and job creation, and was pleased to be able to sharewith the administration how important it is that the cap on smallbusiness lending be raised for credit unions,” Sponemsaid in a statement.

Soglin was an attendee and supporter of Summit's inaugural Co-OpConnection event held last October. More than 350 visitors attendedthe event, which was formed in partnership with 25 other co-ops tocelebrate cooperatives and all that they contribute to theircommunities, according to Summit.

The credit union's next Co-Op Connection event will take placeSept. 29.