Costa Rica, Alabama Partner

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - In his first visit to the U.S., Costa Rican Credit Union Association (FEDEAC R.L.) CEO Manuel Bolaños attended the annual meeting of the Alabama Credit Union League in Destin, Fla. The Alabama league has partnered with the Costa Rican trade group as part of the World Council of Credit Union's International Partnerships program.

"Our partnership with the Costa Rican credit union movement grows stronger with each interaction and we are able to continue learning more about each other and our methodologies through first-hand experiences," said ACUL CEO Gary Wolter.

In addition to attending the annual meeting, Bolaños also took a tour of PenAir FCU in Pensacola, Fla. (an Associate Member of the ACUL) allowing Mr. Bolaños to get a first-hand look at the inner workings of a United States credit union. PenAir FCU CEO John Davis spent an afternoon discussing credit union operations with Bolaños, WOCCU International Partnerships Manager Victor Corro, and a league representative.

Currently there are five Alabama credit unions partnering with five Costa Rican credit unions. There are 70 active credit unions in Costa Rica, serving 490,545 members.