Submitted by Peninsula Credit Union
Earlier this month, the Northwest Credit Union Association (NWCUA) honored four outstanding professionals and six Northwest credit unions for their commitment to leadership, advocacy, cooperation, member service, and community impact. Among the award recipients was Jim Morrell, CEO of Peninsula Credit Union, headquartered in Shelton.
“When I think about what truly engaged advocacy looks like, Jim immediately comes to mind,” says Jennifer Wagner, NWCUA Chief Advocacy Officer and Executive Vice President. “Thank you, Jim, for always leaning in and taking credit union advocacy to the next level, again, and again, and again.”
In a credit union career spanning three decades, Morrell has focused on sharing the collective credit union story with elected officials in the Washington statehouse and inside the D.C. Beltway. His work helped to make prize-linked savings possible at the federal level and moved the needle on such significant credit union initiatives as tax reform, affordable housing, data security, public funds, and more. He is highly regarded across the industry as a trusted authority on all things advocacy and has cemented strong relationships with legislators throughout his career.
“If we want our members to be served with the financial services many people don’t get in other places,” Morrell says, “our influence and our stories make the difference, not only with legislators but with the people whose lives we impact.”
Morrell is intentional about crediting the team at PCFCU for member service that drives successful advocacy. “The team listens with empathy and pursues the passion of each member,” He says. “That creates ‘WOW’ stories every day that are good for the members and the community and being able to share those stories makes advocacy easier and more effective.”
“[Jim’s] years of service in our neck of the woods lay out why this award is so well deserved,” says Washington State Representative Derek Kilmer. “[Peninsula] credit union worked tirelessly to get resources and funding out to our small businesses. That was essential to keeping workers employed and allowing business owners to keep their lights on. You have made a difference.”
In addition to his focus on advocacy, Morrell demonstrates credit unions’ “people helping people” philosophy in his service to the industry and in his everyday life. He holds the reins as the Chair of the CUNA Payments sub-committee and as Chair of Wespay’s western regional payments group. He is an International Credit Union Development Educator (I-CUDE), both in the United States and in Africa. In Mason County, Morrell is Chair of the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound. He and his husband are enthusiastic contributors to Credit Unions for Kids and help to support homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
“The level of collaboration and teamwork among all credit unions over the past year and a half is simply amazing,” says NWCUA President/CEO Troy Stang. “I’ve been a credit union member my whole life and I know how powerful the ‘People Helping People’ philosophy is.”
