The sudden death in August 2015 of our CEO, Mike Harrell, remains a painful subject for ACIPCO Federal Credit Union members. His door was always open and he took a personal interest in each member he spoke with. If asked what role Mike played in their lives, I believe more members would answer with 'friend' than 'credit union manager.' He was just that kind of guy.

Professionally, Mike had plenty to be proud of, as well. Under his leadership, ACIPCO FCU grew from $39 million in assets to more than $142 million in assets, added numerous products and services while keeping fees to a minimum, and consistently maintained an ROA of 2.0 or greater.

But the accomplishment Mike was most proud of was the annual rebate program he established. Each December since 1992, ACIPCO FCU has given members a rebate/bonus based on their interest paid and dividends earned from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30. The first year it was 15% of those totals, but since then it's ranged from 20% to 35%, returning more than $28 million to members. With membership of less than 7,500, that can be a substantial amount to members – and a great incentive to borrow and/or save.