CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference serves as an annual rallycry for credit unions. Like a good sports coach, it's there to pumpup the team, provide direction and do a little cheerleading minusthe short skirts.

Gathering all of the players in one room is great for bolsteringthat cooperative team spirit to approach Capitol Hill with thecentralized mission of protecting credit unions' future viability.Some will focus on enhancing credit union powers through expandedbusiness lending or supplemental capital, while others willhighlight the need for regulatory relief. Still others willdemonstrate the need to maintain credit unions' federal taxexemption.

Advocacy pulses through the veins of Thomas Renz of CommodorePerry FCU, the credit union recognized by Credit UnionTimes for Outstanding Political Action. When the credit unionperceived unjust treatment from its NCUA examiner, Renz spearheadedthe full-court press to try to make it right.