NEW ORLEANS — Anne Cochran, president and CEO of the Louisiana Credit Union League, has been named the first female chair of the World Council of Credit Unions' (WOCCU) board of directors.
Cochran formally accepted the chair's chain of office during the World Credit Union Conference general session on Tuesday, July 14, 2015, in Denver. She succeeds outgoing chair Grzegorz Bierecki, president and CEO of the National Association of Co-operative Savings and Credit Unions (NACSCU), Poland's credit union trade group.
“There is nothing more dear to me than the credit union movement, both locally and internationally,” Cochran said. “This is an incredible honor and I am extremely humbled by this opportunity. Members, credit unions, Leagues and associations have shared both successes and challenges. By working together, we have remained resilient and passionate about our common purpose of people helping people. Becoming the chairperson of the World Council of Credit Unions is a recognition that will stay with me and Louisiana’s credit unions forever. I look forward to continuing the great work of our Council in the coming years and writing the next chapter in our always changing story of bringing the values of our movement to people across the globe.”
“I offer my full congratulations to Anne for being named Chair of the World Council of Credit Unions' board of directors,” said Jim Nussle, president of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). “Anne has shown great leadership, dedication and commitment, and as the first female chair of WOCCU she will continue her tremendous impact on the credit union movement both at home and abroad.”
As president and CEO of the Louisiana Credit Union League, Cochran has matured the association, attaining the highest affiliation ratio in League history. In recent years, the Louisiana Credit Union League has hosted representatives from developing credit unions in Africa and Russia to discuss the credit union movement in Louisiana and how to establish a strong, growing credit union in communities across their countries.
Prior to her elected position, Cochran has served for WOCCU in many capacities. Cochran is a frequent speaker at international credit union meetings, including many of WOCCU’s Congresses, volunteering her time to help international leagues and credit unions grow and prosper. Named one of the Top 50 Women of the Year by New Orleans’ CityBusiness, Cochran is the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Credit Union Foundation’s Anchor Award in 2006 for her “strength, perseverance and leadership in helping credit unions recover from Hurricane Katrina.” Following Hurricane Katrina, Cochran developed the Louisiana Credit Union Foundation, established to provide financial assistance for statewide disaster relief efforts, and provided educational opportunities for credit union employees and volunteers. In 2011, Cochran was inducted into the Louisiana Credit Union Hall of Fame.
For more than 80 years, the Louisiana Credit Union League has represented the unique interests of nearly 200 not-for-profit credit unions and the more than one million credit union members that they serve in the State of Louisiana.
