From the Illinois Credit Union League

The Rockford area is one of 24 credit union chapters across the state of Illinois part of the Illinois Credit Union System.

As the primary trade association for credit unions in Illinois, the Illinois Credit Union League (ICUL) provides members with information, legislation, and education. Membership is open to any credit union operating in accordance with the Illinois Credit Union Act or the Federal Credit Union Act. There are 378 credit unions in Illinois serving more than 2.8 million members.

Chapters are an integral and functioning part of the Illinois Credit Union System dedicated to: preserving credit union uniqueness, informing member credit unions of new services and pertinent information for credit unions in general; and maintaining the importance of credit unions in our national economic structure.

Now known as the Rockford Area Chapter of Credit Unions (RACCU), the chapter was originally formed as the Harry O. Perlee Chapter of Credit Unions in June of 1936, named after one of the founders of the Rockford Postal Credit Union in 1927, which became the 17^th credit union in Illinois. He also helped establish the Perlee Chapter named in his honor.

Credit union chapters also serve as a means of exchanging ideas and discussing problems of mutual concern. By conducting regular meetings to inform and update member credit unions in topics that concern their operations. RACCU’s recent and upcoming activities include the following:

• A free public seminar titled “Budgeting & Credit: Things You Need to Know,” held Saturday, Oct. 15, as a kickoff to International Credit Union Week. Topics include how to start a budget plan; how to rebuild your credit; spending and saving tips; and tools to help you get your finances in order, even after a financial crisis.

• Rockford’s Fifth Annual Money Smart Week (MSW), to be held April 21-28, 2012. This program will provide a week of free financial education to the community.

Credit unions are united into chapters by geographic boundaries. RACCU serves credit union officials in Boone, Winnebago, eastern Lee, and eastern Ogle counties. In this area, there are 14 ICUL-affiliated credit unions that serve more than 111,800 members and hold $825 million in assets. They include the following:

Citizens Community CU — 4227 Maray Plaza No. 4, Rockford, (815) 399-3830;

Credit Union 1 — 4227 Maray Drive, Rockford, (815) 399-1881, http://www.creditunion1.org ^[1];

First Community CU of Beloit — 1405 W. Lane Road, Machesney Park, (608) 362-9077;

First Northern CU — 104 N. Show Place Drive, Rockford, (815) 332-9898; and 2235 12th St., Rockford, (815) 963-4282; visit http://www.fncu.org ^[2];

General Mills FCU — 915 E. Pleasant St., Belvidere, (815) 547-4097;

Generations CU — 5618 Harrison Ave., Rockford, (815) 316-2900, http://www.generationscu.org ^[3];

Heritage CU — 5959 E. State St., Rockford, (608) 268-2090, http://www.heritagecu.org ^[4];

MembersAlliance CU — 2550 S. Alpine Road, Rockford; 6951 Olde Creek Road, Rockford; 3902 W. Riverside, Rockford; 7219 Walton St., Rockford; and 4781 E. Rockton Road, Rockton; (815) 226-2260, http://www.membersalliance.org ^[5];

Rock Valley FCU — 1201 Clifford Ave., Loves Park; 1054 N. Lincoln Hwy., Rochelle; and 11280 Forest Hills Road, Machesney Park; (815) 877-0441, http://www.rvfcu.org ^[6];

Rockford Bell CU — 4225 Perryville Road, Loves Park; 702 E. Jefferson St., Rockford; and 4 E. Main St., Mt. Morris; (815) 636-2100, http://www.rbcu.net ^[7];

Rockford Municipal ECU — 634 N. Church St., Rockford, (815) 316-4655, http://www.rmecu.net ^[8]

Rockford Newspapers CU — 99 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 987-1405;

Rockford Postal ECU — 5608 N. Second St., No. 1, Loves Park, (815) 282-8711, http://www.rpecu.org ^[9];

St. Anthony Hospital EFCU — 5510 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 395-5146;

SwedishAmerican FCU — 1401 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 489-4096; and

Winnebago County Schools CU — 4563 Hydraulic Road, Rockford, (815) 874-2188, http://www.wcscu.org ^[10].

The Rockford Area Chapter board consists of the following:

• Chapter Chairman and ICUL Director John Hansen, CEO, Rockford Bell CU;

• First Vice Chairman Elaine Treu, Human Resources director, Rockford Bell CU;

• Second Vice Chairman Karen Jurasek, CEO, Generations CU;

• Chapter Treasurer Cristi Parker, CEO, Winnebago County Schools CU;

• Legislative Forum Representative Lori Perkins, Rock Valley FCU;

• Illinois Youth Involvement Council (IYIC) Representative Bridgett Vyborny, branch manager, First Northern CU;

• Education Liaison and Illinois Credit Union Foundation Representative, Denise Leonard, and Member Relations manager, Generations CU; and

• Chapter Representative Lorna Cote, director of marketing, MembersAlliance CU.

Learn more about the chapter at http://raccu.org/ ^[11].

From the Oct. 19-25, 2011, issue