By Anca Voinea
Daniel Burns from Canada has been elected chair of the World Council of Credit Unions (Woccu). Mr Burns, who has been involved in credit unions for 20 years, formally took office during the World Credit Union Conference Annual General Meeting on 18 July in Belfast. He is taking over from Anne Cochran, president and chief executive of the Louisiana Credit Union League.
Two other board members were elected at the meeting: Martha Durdin from the Canadian Credit Union Association and George Ototo from Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives. The World Council’s executive committee for the year ahead includes chair Daniel Burns, first vice chair Patrick Jury from the USA, second vice chair Brian McCrory from Ireland, secretary Manfred Dasenbrock from Brazil and treasurer Bruce Foulke from the USA.
Speaking of future prospects for credit unions, Mr Burns said that technological developments represented the “best opportunity” that credit unions had ever seen. “Woccu is best positioned to ensure that credit unions rise to the next level,” he commented, adding that technology would enable credit unions to put their principles of fairness, equity, democracy and concern for community into practice.
“Our work has just begun. We now have a global message which we must take to the world organisations that can and may determine our common futures,” said Mr Burns. “I have never felt better about the World Council’s ability to affect positive change for the global movement than I do now; and I could not be more pleased and honoured to contribute as chair for the next year.”
Mr Burns also referred to the burden of regulation that credit unions often faced. “Now more than ever we must work together to manage this big threat.
“The business of saving and lending is not the root of banking problems. Good regulation should treat the disease and not the symptoms,” he said.
-ICA