ORLANDO, Fla. – CUNA President and CEO Dan Mica compared and contrasted his chairman to American Bankers Association Chairman Harris Simmons, paralleling their service to that of the different sectors of the financial services industry they represent.
"Leaders always try to lead. They try to get involved," Mica explained. In CUNA Chairman Juri Valdov's case, he traveled the country highlighting the need for financial literacy; Simmons on the other hand used his term as chairman to attack credit unions.
"It dawned on me that that was a decision," Mica said. He added, "We cannot only serve people with no money and help them with money. There is no law that requires it. We believe we should. We want to, but there is no requirement."
He added, "I know for a fact.that Congress is fed up with those who come up and say do away with [credit unions].They're tired of it.
"I also predict here today that we're going to start to see a crack in the banking industry front," Mica said. The voice of dissent for what the ABA is doing is getting "a little louder, a little stronger." He said there are a number of banks out there that are sick of the attacks on credit unions and want to get on with serving their own customers.
CUNA's own efforts will bolster those voices, bringing the noise to a scream, Mica said. "If you really believe in what we do, and I believe most of you do, and if we stay together our future is unlimited," he said.
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