Some members who stopped by Dubuque, Iowa-based Dupaco Community Credit Union recently got a surprise interaction with an unexpected MSR – their congressman.
U.S. Rep. Rod Blum serves Iowa’s first congressional district, and the Republican lawmaker recently spent a day at Dupaco’s Sycamore branch learning the ins and outs of the credit union movement, even working briefly as a teller. CU trade associations regularly tout branch visits and tours for lawmakers as ways credit unions can help legislators better understand the movement and the value that CUs provide to their members, but it's fairly uncommon for lawmakers to spend time actually working at the institution as part of that process.
Dealing with consumers wasn’t anything new for Blum, who once worked as a teller at another financial institution, and for his “apprenticeship” on the Dupaco taller line he even signed the credit union’s member confidentiality agreements.
“A Dupaco teller stood over Blum’s shoulder,” Dupaco’s Chief Marketing Officer David Klavitter told Credit Union Journal. “The teller provided direction and actually interfaced with the core computer system, while Blum interacted with the member.”
Blum also used the cash dispenser to conduct a withdrawal transaction and counted the cash back to the members.
According to John Ferland, Blum’s district director, tellers trained the congressman on the system they were using and the new technology being utilized to ensure accuracy in transactions. "Congressman Blum greeted and served about 10 customers over nearly an hour," he added.
Blum was also treated to an extensive history of both the Dubuque Packing Company (the credit union's original sponsor group), Dupaco Credit Union itself and the history of the Sycamore branch.
Indeed, Dupaco’s Sycamore branch, which is located near the credit union’s origins, has a special significance for Blum. In 1948, 10 employees of the Dubuque Packing Co. pooled their savings to form Dupaco Employees Credit Union.
Ferland indicated that Blum’s father was a laborer for Dubuque Packing for 15 years and the entire family were members of the credit union since its earliest stages in 1963, continuing to the present day.
On the job
Blum’s visit was the result of meeting with the credit union’s board and staff in Washington during this year’s CUNA GAC, during which time the congressman discussed the possibility of spending a day at the branch.
“Blum’s done several ‘on-the-job’ experiences at other local businesses and he thought working at Dupaco would be very interesting,” said Klavitter.
Beyond just working the teller line, Blum also met with Delora Beal, a member who benefitted from Dupaco’s “MoneyMatch” program, a grant-based initiative that provides matching funds and financial coaching for qualified participants. Thanks in part to utilizing MoneyMatch, Beal was able to make the move from a transitional housing program into sustainable employment and housing.
Blum is hardly the first politician to visit a Dupaco branch.
“Dupaco has long valued the importance of staying connected to lawmakers,” Klavitter said. “This was instilled in the credit union by a former director who also served as mayor of Dubuque in the late 1960s. Ever since, the credit union has hosted many federal, state, and local elected officials at our various branches.”
Dupaco's President and CEO Joe Hearn has invited many Iowa lawmakers to visit the credit union order to learn more about the movement
“It’s important for elected officials to see up close how we positively impact members’ lives every day,” he said.
Ferland said that a consistent refrain Blum has heard from many Iowa credit unions is the need for significant regulatory reform. "Credit unions should be allowed to focus on their mission, not solely on complying with the ever-increasing burden of harmful red tape coming from the CFPB and our federal government," he said.
Come back soon
While Blum had previously visited other Dupaco branches – and other credit unions – in his district since first beling elected to Congress two years ago, this is the first time he has “worked” at the credit union.
Dupaco’s Klavitter said he hopes Blum will return to the credit union soon, calling it “a terrific experience.”
According to Ferland, the congressman is set to visit the Dupaco Learning Lab and Branch – which is described as a "learning laboratory to explore and test new ways of helping members understand money and find financial solutions" – in Peosta, Iowa, sometime this summer.
