Pictured above are Pinnancle award recipients (l-r): Frank Spencer, Teachers FCU; Bruno Sementilli, Quorum FCU; Jim O’Connell, Capital Communications FCU; Sheila Gilday, Mid-Hudson Valley FCU; Linda Dickie, Hudson River Community CU; Stephanie Garrison, Mid-Hudson Valley FCU; and Leni Hochman, Alternatives FCU.

Best In Show Award Quorum FCU took “Best in Show” for its 2006 Product Penetration Entry, “We’ve Got You Covered.” Accepting the award was Bruno Sementilli, CEO, Quorum FCU.

Award Winner Biographies

Greg Card assumed control of Syracuse FCU in 1981, managing the credit union from his home while working as a Syracuse police officer. When he retired in 1989, he concentrated all his time on the credit union, growing membership from 500 police officers to more than 26,000 members. Today, the credit union has $101 million in assets and is expanding to its 10th branch. While no longer with the credit union, Card is involved in the building of that new branch. Card also established the SHARENET! Network of surcharge-free, credit union-owned ATMs during the 1990s. In 1997 Card joined the League’s board of directors and served until this year. In addition to overseeing the successful growth of Syracuse FCU, Card promoted credit union-friendly legislation through his lobbying efforts and involvement with CULAC/CUPAC. He was also a New York Credit Union Foundation trustee.

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Lorraine Jordan came to Erie County Employees CU in 1982 as a part-time employee. She remained there for 25 years, rising through the ranks to become chief executive officer while substantially increasing the credit union’s assets from $2 million to $16 million along the way. Jordan became a League director representing the Buffalo chapter in 1998, served on numerous committees and was a New York Credit Union Foundation trustee. In addition, she advocated on behalf of the New York State credit union movement and represented credit unions in Washington and Albany on countless legislative issues.

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Bill Myers founded Alternatives FCU in 1979. Today, Alternatives is a community development credit union with $50 million in assets, more than 8,500 members and is on the cutting edge of serving underserved markets. A pioneer in the New York State credit union movement, Myers introduced the concept of the Credit Path Model as a way of understanding members’ financial situations and incorporated that insight into the organization’s business planning. Under Myers’ leadership as chief executive officer, Alternatives hosts and manages a community development banking listserv, one of the first of its kind. The credit union also developed the first Livable Wage Study for Tompkins County in 1994 and updates the report every two years.

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Beverly Towers began her career at Hudson River Community CU in 1966 and held numerous positions, ultimately rising to chief executive officer, a position in which she served for 23 years. Under her leadership, the credit union’s assets increased from $8.2 million to $92 million and membership expanded from nearly 6,000 to 21,500. Towers frequently advocated on behalf of New York State’s credit unions at the state and federal levels during Governmental Affairs Conferences (GAC) and raised funds for CULAC/CUPAC. She was honored as a New York State Senate Woman of Distinction by Sen. Hugh Farley (R-Adirondack) in June 2006.

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Mike Vadala has been with the credit union for 22 years and has served as president and chief executive officer for the past 12 years. The Summit FCU now has more than $368 million in assets, more than 50,000 members, nine branches and two-member company satellite offices. In 2006, Vadala spearheaded the decision to partner with BALANCE to provide members with free financial counseling services, opened three new branches, installed Coinstar machines in all branches and instituted a Foreign Currency Exchange. Vadala has been an active participant in the League’s Large Credit Union CEO Roundtable and the Rochester chapter’s credit union legislative committee. In addition, he was a driving force for the credit union’s sponsorship of and participation in the New York Credit Union Foundation’s brass|STUDENT PROGRAM for high school students in New York State.

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Ted Abriel volunteered as the sole loan officer at the credit union for 15 years. During that time, he conducted numerous fundraisers to benefit family members of ill or deceased firefighters who were members of the credit union. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Abriel raised more than $40,000 by selling embroidered shirts and hats he made in his garage. The proceeds were used to buy computers for the children of and two cars for the families of fallen firefighters. Sadly, Abriel died in the line of duty last February while fighting a fire in Albany. Albany Firemen’s FCU began a fund in Abriel’s name for his wife and four children.

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Peter Scheibe founded Syracuse Cooperative FCU and was a member of its board of directors from 1983-87 and 1995-present. He served as the board’s president in 1996 and from 2004-2005. Scheibe has served on numerous committees and supported management in developing and growing the credit union in the inner city of Syracuse. He continues to help many of the city’s lower-income residents by ensuring that they have competitive services.

 

New York State Credit Union League, Inc. & Affiliates
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