INDIANAPOLIS-One of Indiana's Hispanic television pioneers is now using his communications skills to spread the message of Financial Center CU here. The $409-million FCCU recently named Marco Dominguez its new Director of Community Sales. Dominguez is a well-known figure in the Hispanic community, as he spent nine years as Butler University TV producer, managed the state's first Hispanic television station, and served as co-anchor there.
In 2009, he joined with Comcast to create IndyVision, a cable-access venture that provides local Spanish-language newscasts. Dominguez has also served on Financial Center CU's board for the last two years. Credit Union Journal spoke with Dominguez about his mission to take his passion for financial cooperatives back to the community.
Credit Union Journal: What exactly is a Director of Community Sales?
Dominguez: Basically I oversee the relations with the community at large, and the business community, to see how we can better serve them and to grow Financial Center as much as we can. We in the Hispanic community need to be more educated about finances, about money and the advantages of a credit union. And Financial Center CU has been taking the lead here in Indianapolis to do not only the business part, but the educational aspect to get more of the community involved. What a checking account is, what a savings account is, there is so much that it has to offer. It is not well-explained [to the community] and I'm glad that Financial Center is doing it. The position is unique in that sense.
CUJ: How has Financial Center CU taken the lead in financial education?
Dominguez: We have the Hispanic Council, in which we bring leaders of the community here to express what the needs are out there in the community and how we can participate more with them. We have given classes on opening checking and savings account many people have been made very happy because they now know that a Financial Center is safe and is not only for business, but for education. On many occasions we tend not to participate and think of [a credit union] as a regular financial institution. It is our job to make them know that they are the owners and involved in the decision making of the institution."
CUJ: Hispanic and African-American communities have been historically underbanked. Why do you think that is and what are you going to do to help break that trend?
Dominguez: In the minority community sometimes we are afraid of putting money in FIs because we don't know what is going to happen. I mean, you've seen what has happened [with the big banks]. We need to know more about how we can contribute [to the credit union]. It is the only way we can trust-to get involved and have a voice as owners of the credit union. Having the opportunity to work closely with and be involved with Financial Center CU helps the community and the institution itself.
CUJ: Is your position dedicated solely to the Hispanic community, or do you have a larger outreach?
Dominguez: I know the Hispanic community; I've been living here in Indianapolis for 17 years. I'm originally from Venezuela but now I call myself a Hoosier. But our goal is to get the whole community involved in this initiative to show what Financial Center has to offer them. You know, it is so nice to go out to the branch and you want to put your money there-that you get a smile and that they are thinking not only about the business, but about you as a person. That's why I'm here, that's why I believe so much in Financial Center CU. I'm so proud.
