It is about 110 miles of flat, sage-brush driving between Midland and San Angelo, Texas.
But in January, a decade ago, the straight road cut between fields of new snow–the pavement often glazed with ice patches. Not many were out on that freezing cold morning yet, Dick Ensweiler, the Texas Credit Union League CEO, Rob Allyn, a public relations strategist, and I drove as fast as we dared across that lonely highway to make a lunch rally with a handful of local credit union leaders.
In San Angelo–like in Midland the night before and nearly a dozen other places in prior weeks–the mission was to meet with credit union supporters. There, we listened to stories. We made a talk. And we asked for support. We were connecting.
Whenever and wherever possible, we also met with local media, and local elected officials. We were on a campaign. And there was nothing automatic about it. In each town, there were new name tags. New easel boards. New video tape machine hook-ups. And in San Angelo, as we breathed in the cold West Texas air, it filled us with purpose.
Road trips were common as we did our part to stitch together a network of support–building a common voice. Activating a movement. At that time, I was working for the Texas Credit Union League as the vice president of corporate communications. Then, it was like being in a tornado.
Now, a decade later, there are snapshots and scrapbooks–and memories: like the long road trip with Anne Boatright.
Boatright is now chairman of the Texas Credit Union League, but 10 years ago she was better know as the CEO of Capitol Credit Union in Austin–and an activist.
I had driven down from Dallas one morning to meet up with her and a group of Austin credit union leaders for a lunch meeting. Topic: survival. After lunch, Ann and I hopped in a rented Altima and scooted across East Texas to Tyler for an evening chapter meeting. Topic: survival.
Ann and I then drove back that night to Dallas because she needed to be there for a league meeting the next day. The Altima’s round trip odometer was 532 miles. On a day like that, you get to know people. It was a long day. But at that time, I also knew a sterling old fellow named Jimmy Dacus, who could top my stories of long days.
The Heart & The History
Jimmy was at the heart–and at the beginning–of the credit union movement. Indeed, he met Ed Filene’s right-hand man, Claude Orchard, at a train station in Fort Worth in October of 1934. And Jimmy drove him through the rough autumn landscape of rolling North Texas farmlands to Texarkana–changing tires all the way.
In Texarkana, a bunch of county employees came together–each chipping in five Depression Era dollars. And as Jimmy told it, more than one had a hard time getting up the five dollars. So Claude and Jimmy threw in some change to make it happen.
There, they chartered the first federal credit union. It was a commitment to an idea–and hope. Morris Sheppard FCU–charter number one–still fans the ideas and hopes of its several hundred members. It turned 64-years-old in 1998. It still operates today.
The spirit of Jimmy Dacus and Morris Sheppard fueled my efforts to create and coordinate road shows, media events and campaign materials that wove Texas credit unions to a national effort–drawing our common bond tighter while working to loosen the common bond language.
As I look back at the mental snapshots of that time, I recall a meeting with credit union leaders in San Antonio–preparing for one of the many editorial board sessions across the state. We huddled over coffee, exchanging papers and stories to make sure we were all on the same page. Given a 20- to 30-minute shot to argue the credit union position, we didn’t want to mess up by straying off message. We wanted to connect with opinion leaders, who in turn, would connect to the populace, who in turn would connect with the politicians.
Fueled by caffeine and determination, we met with the editorial board of the San Antonio Express News.
It produced the first of two positive editorials from the Express-News. The first stated, “…the bank lobby’s attempt to quash credit unions is heavy handed and unfair.” It called on the bankers to “back off” and let credit unions continue to serve consumers. And in another editorial, when HR 1151 languished for two months in the summer of 1998, the Express-News called on then Sen. Phil Gramm to help push the legislation to a floor vote.
In addition to the editorials, the San Antonio Express News gave the credit union industry supportive coverage for months. Many of the reporters, editors and craftsmen were members of Express News FCU, amicably managed by Linda Tudyk. No doubt, Tudyk and her staff created a credit union experience the writers could readily understand. The writers were not, however, biased. Many were customers of banks, as well. They were, however, possibly influenced by the superior and caring service provided by their credit union.
In the weeks that followed, we met with newspaper after newspaper. A Houston Chronicle editorial summed up a common thread “…there is room for all in a healthy, competitive atmosphere that gives Americans lots of banking options. Consumers win.”
And, of course, “consumer choice” was one of the key messages during this time. It took public relations expertise and plenty of marketing muscle to massage and refine a credit union message that was simple, elegant and easy to support.
There was a lot of white hat wearing and white hat presenting going on during those days. We had a slogan: “Stand Tall For Texas Credit Unions.” Them were fightin’ words.
During that time, we learned about keeping things simple. Ron Allyn, the PR strategist hired by the FACTS Committee, was a master at that. Allyn believed in repeating the same simple message over and over and over. Before Allyn coached us, we were an acronym-laden, jargon-spewing bunch, parsing financial terms that few consumers cared about. Share drafts, instead of checks. Charter options. Fields of membership. It was a language that most people did not understand, nor cared about.
We learned to think about consumers and talk in a way that was meaningful to them. We learned to connect beyond the exchange at the teller line.
Marty Oschner, the CEO of Goodrich CU, was the chairwoman of the FACTS Committee, a steering organization of credit union leaders who gave form to the league’s advocacy work. Her pragmatic determination–and easy smile–helped recruit volunteers from across the state. Suddenly, CU leaders were transforming into spokespersons, lobbyists and petition-pushers.
Enthusiastic Novices
Many were novices, but eagerly volunteered to do what was necessary to help the cause. Texas credit union supporters brought their story to Washington, Austin and local town hall meetings when legislators came home. There was no escape for politicians. Tallies were being kept. Targets were being focused. The credit union movement was leaning hard on castle walls. And slowly, the numbers fell towards the credit union side.
But, it seemed one more surge was needed. And it came with a call for credit unions to swarm Washington. With the movement connected and energized, it took only a matter of days to line up a plane full of Texans.
A chartered jet loaded in Dallas before dawn, then commuted down to Houston to pick up another load before flying the shoulder-to-shoulder group to Washington.
The contingent of 150 Texans joined up with thousands of other credit union supporters for a massive rally in Washington. During the gathering on the Capitol lawn, Senator Gramm made an impromptu showing to work the crowd with messages of understanding and support.
After a full day of marches and speeches, the Texans returned home. It was a one-day 3,000 mile round trip. On a day like that, you get to know people.
Days later, by a 92-to-6 vote, the Senate passed H.R. 1151.
I was energized to be part of the effort. It was fun to see the power of common purpose. It was rewarding to work with so many hands. Connections were made that have never been broken. And I came away with a feeling that we had done more than a job. We created opportunity.
Terry Young is the director of marketing and communication for Southwest Corporate FCU.
