20 MEMBERS1st Employees Earn Financial Counseling Certification

June 12, 2023

MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union is proud to announce that 20 employees have earned the Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) designation through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).

To earn the certification, employees went through the CUNA Financial Counseling Certification Program (FiCEP). It includes participating in a series of webinars; learning the content of the 33-chapter, 5th Edition CUNA FiCEP book; and passing a 2-hour proctored exam.

“Our mission is Financially Empowering Central Iowa, and our team is committed to obtaining knowledge and skills to best serve our members,” said MEMBERS1st CEO Nick Tonelli. “This is just the start of our journey of employees participating this program, and we look forward to additional employees earning the certification in 2023 and beyond.”

Many people learn about finances from friends or family, or go it alone. It is a goal of MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union to have all employees participate in the FiCEP program and empower them with the knowledge to assist members with their financial wellness needs.

Credit unions are financial cooperatives. All cooperatives follow certain principles. “Education, Training, and Information” is one of those principles. It extends to employees, members, elected officials, and the community. In addition to increased financial training for employees of the credit union, MEMBERS1st has also launched public Lunch and Learns open to the community and is working with local organizations to offer financial education throughout the year.

“With the support of our all-volunteer board of directors and the commitment of our employees, we are excited to grow our abilities while living out the credit union philosophy of ‘People Helping People’,” said Tonelli.

MEMBERS1st offers in-person services in six central Iowa communities. For members that prefer extended hours of availability or working with a financial counselor by phone, the credit union’s trusted partner GreenPath Financial Wellness is available. This includes a free, confidential financial consultation, available in multiple languages and during evenings and Saturdays.

For more information, log on to www.MEMBERS1st.com or call (800) 245-6199.

Pictured below:  19 of 20 CCUFC MEMBERS1st Graduates 

Headquartered in Marshalltown, MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union is a member-owned, cooperative financial institution with more than $244 million in total assets and provides financial services to 18,000 Iowans. The credit union employs 60 Iowans who provide services to members at branches in Ames, Boone, Eldora, Iowa Falls, Marshalltown and Traer or via electronic means. Membership is open to people who live, work, worship or attend school in Marshall, Story, Boone, Dallas, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Polk, Poweshiek, Tama and Webster Counties. Membership is also available to family members of current members.