Working Together at MACU

Marketing is not a solitary game. It's a team sport, where players achieve their personal best through collective brainstorming and creative collaboration. The Marketing Association for Credit Unions provides these opportunities, and many more, to credit union marketers across Canada.

MACU's board of directors are hard at work collaborating on ideas to provide MACU members with opportunities to network with credit union marketers from coast to coast. Facilitating the exchange of ideas between credit union marketers is a key function of MACU. By creating learning opportunities through conferences which feature marketing experts and leading industry speakers, all members of MACU will become better informed and more able to respond to an ever-changing marketing landscape.

How is MACU governed?

A board of directors consisting of 11 members, elected annually by the membership, is responsible for governing MACU. Current board members represent a cross section of credit unions from provinces across Canada including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick.

They are committed to helping credit union marketers achieve success for their credit unions by providing educational forums and networking opportunities. Directors also play a supportive liaison role by facilitating the exchange of information and idea sharing between MACU Members.

In addition, MACU directors plan and host various MACU events, and call upon the membership to celebrate together the many successes enjoyed by credit unions today.

Directors play an important role in MACU, and new board members are elected every fall. Anyone interested in more information about the benefits and responsibilities of becoming a MACU director please contact us by email, or telephone. Meet the current MACU board of directors

Randy Gossen, Director
Manager, Marketing
Synergy Credit Union
Tel: 306-825-3301
randy.gossen@synergycu.ca

Joe Jarego, Director
Vice President Sales & Marketing - Prairie Centre Credit Union
Joe’s started in the financial service industry working for Humongous Bank on the IT side of things. He quickly fell in love with the retail side of operations where he has never looked back. We are in the people business, people helping people so for the past fifteen plus years Joe has worked within the Credit Union system in a number of progressively responsible positions throughout Western Canada gaining an appreciation of the diversity of our members. Woking for a Credit Union means being part of a community and being involved while contributing to the communities. Joe is married with a young family who he credits for the motivation and support that has allowed him to continually succeed in his career and successfully completed a number of designations, including Associate of the Institute and Fellow of Credit Union Institute of Canada (ACUIC & FCUIC).
Tel: 306-882-2899 Email: joe.jarego@pccu.ca

Paul McAfee, Vice Chair
Manager, Product Development and Research - Island Savings Credit Union
Paul’s career spans over 25 years and has been dedicated to the Credit Union system. After 15 years of experience at Servus Credit Union (Capital City Savings) in Alberta where his career began, he left his position as Branch Manager of their downtown (Edmonton) location to move to beautiful B.C. (Vancouver Island) where he became Regional Branch Manager for Island Savings Credit Union’s Mill Bay, Shawnigan and Valley View branches. In 2003, he joined their corporate offices as the Manager, Sales and Services followed by his present position of Manager, Product and Customer Development in which his contributions to strategic marketing campaign development, product innovation, and research have been corporately recognized. His dedication to the community has also spanned his career which has included Capital City Savings’ Chinese and Vietnamese Community Councils and the South Cowichan Chamber of Commerce of which he was President. He is currently the MACU Vice Chair and is thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to connect with Credit Union marketing professionals from across Canada.
Tel: 250-746-2910 Email: pmcafee@iscu.com

Vanessa Foster, Director
Manager of Marketing and Communications - Sunova Credit Union
While still in high school, Vanessa applied for the Creative Communications program at Red River College on a whim. After a grueling entrance exam, assignments and interview, she was selected as one of 50 students (and one of just a small handful of students just coming out of high school) accepted to the intense, two-year program. Vanessa specialized in public relations and with still a few months left of school was offered her first job with the Canadian Diabetes Association.
A year later, after seeing an ad in the paper, she applied for the Manager, Marketing & Communications position with Sunova (formerly South Interlake) Credit Union. Vanessa has been with Sunova Credit Union ever since, and has grown the marketing department from one to three full-time staff. In addition, the department now manages all marketing and communications for the organization. Absolutely everything, including design and brand management, is managed in-house by the Sunova Marketing Department.
Vanessa lives in a farm with her husband and fur-babies in Manitoba's Interlake. She currently commutes / telecommutes to her job in Selkirk.
Tel: 204-785-7627 Email: vfoster@sunovacu.ca

Deb Melnyk, Director
Manager, Advertising & Communications
Kootenay Savings Credit Union
Tel: 250-368-2674
deb.melnyk@kscu.com

Amber Hughes, Director
Manager, Marketing & Communications, Lakeland Credit Union
Since the age of 15 and first episode of Melrose Place, Amber was drawn to the competitive and exhilarating advertising industry. After completing her Marketing diploma at NAIT, Amber started her career at the bottom of one of Alberta’s top advertising and public relations agency. The following years of gruelling work lead to the promotion to Account Manager and the desire to join ‘the other side’ (read: client side). Since joining Lakeland Credit Union in 2003, Amber has proven to be a marketing madam in her own right; known for $10,000 ideas and representing Northern Alberta at provincial and national marketing awards. Married with two kids, three small businesses and a full time job, Amber enjoys gardening and camping in her spare (?) time. Although this is her first year as a MACU Board Director, she has attended many MACU conferences and AIME Galas throughout western and eastern Canada and assures each of you – 2010 will be the best!
Tel: 780-826-3377 Email: ahughes@alberta-cu.com

Sandi Verrecchia, Treasurer
Managing Director
Strategic Solutions Group
Tel: 905-631-5128
sandra.verrecchia@cumis.com

Jim Walker, Chair
Manager, Marketing Research - Central 1
Jim started his credit union career in 1986 at IWA + Community Credit Union (Community Savings) in New Westminster BC. After 13 years service at Community Savings he moved Westminster Savings for two years to work in product development. Leaving Westminster Savings for a position at Central 1 Credit Union in 2000, Jim now works as the Research Manager. Over the past nine years Jim has spent his time conducting consumer research and competitive analysis on behalf of credit unions in BC and Ontario. Jim has spent the last eight years on the board of MACU and is currently Chair of the organization.
Tel: 604-730-6445 Email: jwalker@cucbc.com

Rachel Milan, Director
Director, Marketing & Community Investment - Teachers Credit Union
Rachel has been a member of the credit union system for over five years and has held the role of Director, Marketing & Community Investment at Teachers Credit Union since 2006. Rachel is a two-time WYCUP winner and has is involved in the World Council of Credit Union’s Women’s Leadership Forum. Rachel’s career spans many industries, having worked with some of North America’s
leading companies in a marketing and sponsorship role.
A graduate of Brock University, Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Communications and is also a Bay Area Leadership Graduate. Her professional training ranges from shopping centre marketing, corporate social responsibility, crisis communications, public policy, sponsorship acquisition and she’s even hosted her own radio show for Teachers Credit Union.
Rachel was born and raised in Hamilton Ontario and proudly cheers for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. She currently resides in the Niagara Region with her husband and two boys.
Tel: 905.525.8131 x 142 Email: rmilan@teacherscu.on.ca

Janice Van Dolah, Director
Marketing Manager - Integris Credit Union
Tel: 250 612 3407 Email: jvandolah@integriscu.ca

Shawna Miller, Director
Vice President, Marketing - Affinity Credit Union
Shawna is a Financial Services and Marketing professional with over 23 years’ experience in the credit union system. As a Certified Financial Planner, she spent several years working as an Investment Specialist, before making a move into Marketing where she found her niche specializing in marketing and business development. Today, she leads the development of Affinity’s brand strategy and guides its promotion through the use of public relations, product marketing, creative services, advertising, and online marketing. She is actively involved in developing community partnerships and has represented Affinity Credit Union on several community boards/voluntary organizations. She has attended MACU conferences over the years and is really looking forward to her first year as a MACU Director in 2010!
Tel: 306.946.3522 Email: shawna.miller@affinitycu.ca

For more information about MACU, contact our MACU Coordinator, Rachel Cleland.

Working Together at MACU

How is MACU governed?

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