ST. PAUL, Minn. – After taking part in a credit union exchange program for the past two weeks, Edgar Alejandro Viveros Barboza and Maria del Carmen Gonzalez Cameron are headed back to Paraguay.
The exchange was coordinated by the Minnesota Credit Union Network and the Paraguayan credit union organization Central de Cooperativas del Area Nacional Ltda. via the World Council of Credit Union's International Partnership Program.
With technology identified as a major area of focus. Barboza and Cameron each spent one week at two Minnesota credit unions to learn about American credit union technology operations. During that time, they were lodged with host families.
The exchange program kicked off on April 10 and concluded on April 21.
"I feel that this was a very successful program and was a great `next step' in our partnership with CENCOPAN," said Dana Hofmann-Geye, MnCUN Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "I look forward to the second part of the exchange this fall, as we continue our mutually beneficial relationship."
Barboza spent week one of the exchange with Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union in St. Paul and week two at SouthPoint Federal Credit Union in Sleepy Eye.
"This experience gave me the opportunity to see the differences in the ways that we live and work in Paraguay. I believe that it was a great experience on a personal and professional level," Barboza said. "I enjoyed getting to know new people and a new form of thinking, seeing a different culture, and learning more."
During Cameron's first week of the exchange, she visited Twin City Co-ops Federal Credit Union in Falcon Heights, followed by Postal Credit Union in St. Paul for week two. Twin City Co-ops has 10 branches around the metro area. Postal has three branch locations and is also a participant in the Minnesota Credit Union Services Corporation's shared branching network.
"I enjoyed learning about the technology used at Minnesota credit unions, and most importantly, meeting the amazing people. It was an incredible experience," Cameron said. "It was beneficial to make contact with the technology administrators to be able to compare it with how we do things in Paraguay. The whole experience was an investment for me and for Paraguay."
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