NCUA Media Alert - Matz, Senator Clinton and N.Y. Credit Unions to Meet in Rochester to Help Credit Unions Serve “Underserved” Consumers

Oct. 7, 2004, Rochester, N.Y. – National Credit Union Administration Board Member Debbie Matz is bringing together Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Rochester community leader Jean Howard, and nearly 250 of the State’s top credit union officials on Oct. 11 to discuss how credit unions can meet the needs of more New Yorkers who are not being served by other insured financial institutions.

Who & What:	NCUA Board Member Debbie Matz will hold a free, one-day Partnering and Leadership Successes (PALS) workshop to focus on serving consumers who are most likely to be victimized by uninsured predatory lenders charging triple-digit interest rates and unregulated fees. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver the keynote address. Rochester Community Leader Jean Howard will serve as luncheon speaker. Nine New York Credit Union Leaders will share their success stories in reaching consumers most in need of affordable financial services. (Agenda is attached)
Where:	Rochester Crowne Plaza Hotel 70 State Street, Rochester, NY (585) 546-3450
When:	Monday, October 11, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Why:	Not-for-profit credit unions can serve as a tremendous resource for consumers who otherwise may have no alternative but to turn to payday lenders, pawnshops, rent-to-own stores and other predatory lenders. Two diverse panels of credit union CEOs will discuss how more credit unions can effectively serve the underserved: The first panel – “Meeting Critical Needs” – will discuss how to help people withstand financial emergencies, build good credit, make life-changing choices and explain effective credit union programs for risk-based loans, payday loan alternatives and financial education. The second panel – “Building Members’ Wealth” – will describe how to reach underserved consumers with wealth-building services such as affordable mortgages, member business loans and international remittances.

This NCUA workshop is co-hosted by The Summit Federal Credit Union of Rochester, the National Association of Federal Credit Unions, the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions and the New York State Credit Union League.

Media who want more details, plan to attend or would like to schedule an interview with NCUA Board Member Debbie Matz can contact Steve Bosack at 703-618-4096 or sbosack@ncua.gov

Recommended by Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), Matz was named as a recess appointee to the NCUA Board in January 2002 and nominated to a seat on the Board on February 27, 2002. The U.S. Senate confirmed her on March 22, 2002. As part of the NCUA Board, Ms. Matz oversees the regulation of federal credit unions and the administration of the federal insurance fund covering approximately 9,500 credit unions in the U.S.

A public service veteran of nearly 25 years, Matz is a member of three credit unions and resides in McLean, Va. with her husband and two children. Before her appointment to the NCUA Board, Matz was appointed by President Clinton as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration in the Department of Agriculture.

NCUA is the federal agency that regulates, charters and supervises federal credit unions. With the backing of the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, NCUA operates the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, insuring the deposits of more than 83 million account holders in all federal credit unions and the overwhelming majority of state-chartered credit unions.