The National Credit Union Foundation has awarded the first of three Herb Wegner Awards for Lifetime Achievement to Tim Haegelin, retired CEO at Generations Federal Credit Union in San Antonio.

Haegelin began at Generations, then the San Antonio City Employees FCU, as an assistant manager in 1980 after 12 years as CEO of the Central Texas Catholic Credit Union.

By 1984, he was CEO again, a position he held at Generations until his retirement in 2012.

With his service at these two institutions, as well as some prior, Haegelin spent 49 years working in credit unions, the foundation noted.

“Tim's list of achievements is outstanding,” said John Gregoire, chair of the awards selection committee and president of the ProCon Group in Madison, Wis., where the foundation also is based.

“He might not be a household name but his resume and body of work is so significant the Wegner Awards Selection Committee is proud to bring him forward as a Lifetime Achievement winner,” Gregoire said in the announcement Tuesday.

During Haegelin's tenure at Generations, the credit union went from 14,000 members, $37 million in assets to more than 48,000 members and $419 million in assets, the foundation noted in its announcement

It also cited Haegelin's work with the city of San Antonio and Goodwill Industries to open branches that would serve underserved residents as well as setting up Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites to help the underserved access tax credits without having to pay high fees.

“Generations FCU's alliance with Goodwill helps those in need achieve their financial goals through a variety of monetary services that are not usually accessible to them,” said Bob Dugas, former CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Antonio. “Under Haegelin's leadership, Generations FCU embodies the credit union philosophy of 'people helping people.' They actively engage in community initiatives and reach out to all within our area, including the underserved and unbanked.”

Haegelin also played a key role in helping to found Credit Unions for Kids in 1986 the foundation said.

The now industry-wide charity known as CU4Kids began with a call from Haegelin's desk, the foundation said, recounting how the now nationwide effort began in San Antonio.

To date, nearly all of San Antonio's 36 credit unions are supporters of CU4Kids, the Foundation reported as well as noting that the charity grew to involve the whole industry in 1996.

At last count, CU4Kids has raised more than $100 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals across the country, the foundation said.

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NCUF Bestows Wegner Award on Generations FCU's Tim Haegelin

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