AACUC names 2020 Hall of Fame inductees

The African-American Credit Union Coalition is set to induct three longtime leaders from the industry into its Hall of Fame later this month.

Chief among them is Herbert “Bertie” Bowman, the longest-serving African-American staff member on Capitol Hill, having worked in Washington since 1944. Bowman held a variety of jobs in the Senate, ultimately serving as assistant hearing coordinator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has been a volunteer member of the U.S. Senate Federal Credit Union board of directors since 1975.

Mike Mercer, former CEO of Georgia Credit Union Affiliates, will also be inducted. AACUC credited Mercer with having “represented the interests of credit unions in numerous ways for almost four decades.” Mercer retired late last year after overseeing GCUA’s merger into the League of Southeastern Credit Unions.

Lastly, the coalition will present a posthumous induction to Dr. Willie Bryant, a civil rights activist and volunteer at Rockland Employees FCU for more than two decades. Bryant was a founding member of AACUC and the first chairman of the group’s “Reaching Toward the Future” internship program.

A ceremony honoring the trio will be held Feb. 25 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington during AACUC’s Networking Meeting Reception, in conjunction with the Credit Union National Association’s 2020 Governmental Affairs Conference.

Last year, AACUC awarded its Pete Crear Lifetime Achievement Award to Maurie Smith, former CUNA board chair and CEO of Local Government FCU.

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