2022 Awards Gala

Thanks For Joining Us!

Credit union industry professionals from across the Carolinas convened on Thursday evening, February 8, 2023 in Charlotte, NC for the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation’s inspirational Annual Awards Gala. Coastal CU Chief Culture & Impact Officer Creighton Blackwell returned as emcee to lead the evening’s recognition of 2022 Hero Awards honorees, which included four individuals and two credit unions, and 23 state-level 2022 CUNA Awards winners (all noted below). Finally, we would like to thank our many generous sponsors below for making this event possible!

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2022 Hero Award Honorees

More About the Hero Honoree

The Carolinas Clay Classic is a sporting clays fundraising tournament started by Andrew Williams in 2019 after meeting Michal Parker with Secured Advantage and her husband, Mike Hudson. Mike started and operates ROAR Outdoors, a non-profit with a mission to empower the disabled to get out and rediscover a love for life after a traumatic injury. Supported by the credit union industry, the Carolinas Clay Classic has raised nearly $40,000 for ROAR over the last four years through sponsorships, team participation, silent auction, and raffles. It’s Andrew’s commitment to volunteerism and the credit union philosophy of people helping people that has made the Carolinas Clay Classic such a success.

More About the Hero Honoree

Carolina Foothills FCU designed and implemented an equitable program for homeownership for those living at or below the poverty line in the Spartanburg, Greenville and Cherokee counties of South Carolina. This member-focused strategy combines financial education requirements, down payment assistance grants, ‘non-traditional’ forms of credit, and partnerships with community partners to help alleviate the obstacles to building wealth through homeownership.

More About the Hero Honoree

In 2018, Coastal introduced an updated mission, vision, and values, which included Welcome Diversity as one of its core values. Since that time, Coastal has made very intentional efforts to advance its diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DIB) initiatives – educating employees (100% participation!), creating awareness against racism, increasing diversity representation in all levels, and cultivating a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected.

More About the Hero Honoree

Valerie has never shied away from a challenge while serving in various accounting and operational roles over the course of her 43-year career working day in and day out at small credit unions in North Carolina. For the last 15 years as president and CEO, she has lead Acclaim’s growth from $23M to $60M in assets and has trained, equipped, and inspired the employees to value the credit union movement and never forget the member comes first, always. Valerie has plans to retire in 2023.

More About the Hero Honoree

Chuck has exhibited a strong dedication to giving back, improving the lives of those around him, and serving as a leader in the global credit union system for more than 40 years. He lives and breathes Coastal’s “Bank Better to Live Better” mission, and has even structured the company’s vision for success around a balanced approach to returning value to Coastal’s membership, employees, and the community. Chuck is set to retire in March 2023 and will leave an enduring positive impact on all of us.

More About the Hero Honoree

Nick has served the credit union movement passionately for 41 years – 28 of those years leading Palmetto Citizens, where he oversaw the significant growth of the credit union from $102M in assets with 70 employees to now $1.3B in assets and over 300 employees. The movement has also benefited greatly through Nick’s steadfast board leadership with the Carolinas Credit Union League (formerly South Carolina Credit Union League), where he has served for more than 20 years. Retiring in January of 2023, Nick plans to continue serving credit unions, including his volunteer commitment with CUsTogether Employees and Leadership Conferences.