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Idaho Credit Union Professionals Awarded with Kathy Thomson Scholarships

Posted by on November 20, 2018

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To honor her contributions to the Credit Union Movement, the Northwest Credit Union Foundation, along with several generous donors, established the Kathy Thomson Legacy of Life & Learning Scholarships in May.

This month, the Foundation chose eight Idaho credit union staff members and two Idaho credit unions for the scholarships, giving them the opportunity to attend professional development programs so that they may learn, grow, network, and ultimately contribute further to their credit unions and communities. They were chosen for their dedication to professional development, honoring Thomson’s four decades of service to the industry.

This year’s recipients include:

2019-2022 Western CUNA Management School

  • Karli Hatfield, Branch Manager, East Idaho Credit Union, Idaho Falls
  • Eric Mayer: Regional Manager, Pioneer Federal Credit Union, Meridian

2019 Emerging Leaders

  • Nick McGhee, Business Relationship Officer, Idaho Central Credit Union, Meridian
  • Amy Ellis, Operations Manager, Simplot Employees Credit Union, Caldwell

2018 Leveraging the Credit Union Difference Workshop

  • Heidi Byington, Operations Manager, CapEd Credit Union, Nampa
  • Amanda Nixon, HR & Compliance Coordinator, Lewis Clark Credit Union, Lewiston

2019 Development Education (DE) Certification

  • Jake Denning, VP Strategic and Financial Planning, Beehive Federal Credit Union, Rexburg
  • Kelsey Humphrey, Loss Prevention, Pioneer Federal Credit Union, Mountain Home

2019 NWCUA Power User Council Membership

  • Latah Credit Union, Moscow
  • Connections Credit Union, Pocatello

For Heidi Byington with CapEd, attending the CU Difference Workshop, to be held from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, will give her the opportunity to reconnect with the fundamentals of what makes credit unions unique.

“I applied for the scholarship so I can recharge the why of what I do,” Byington said. “I love to lead, coach, and grow my team, but I’m also looking for ways to grow myself. I am looking to gain more knowledge and gain relationships with others outside of my area.”

Kelsey Humphrey with Pioneer Federal Credit Union, applied for the scholarship so she could participate in the Development Education Program. The program takes place over three three-day sessions starting in April and ending in November.

“I want to gain as much insight and education as I can when it comes to being involved in the Credit Union Movement. After the Young Professionals conference, I came back and was inspired to get involved anyway,” Humphrey said. “I want to be able to learn everything there is about our industry so I can make the people I work with just as excited as I am. I’ve always loved my job, but after really learning about the history and seeing CUNA in person and the Filene Research Institute, it just put me in awe of what our industry really does on a day-to-day basis.”

Karli Hatfield with East Idaho Credit Union plans to use her scholarship funds to attend Western CUNA Management School. The program takes three years to complete and offers high-level academic curriculum coupled with hands-on credit union practical experience.

“I truly believe that attending this program will help me on my journey as an advocate for the Credit Union Movement,” Hatfield said. “I want to be able to take the courses and challenge myself along the way. I am very passionate about being able to make a difference in my members lives and giving them the opportunities to be financially successful.”

The Kathy Thomson Legacy of Life & Learning Scholarships are funded by donors who believe in continuing what Thomson strove for during her credit union career – a love of contribution and learning. Thomson dedicated her professional life to the Idaho Credit Union League, serving as President and CEO until 2017.

Posted in Cooperative Development, Scholarships.