REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -
And that's only the short list, said supporters who sent letters urging the National Credit Union Foundation to bestow its 2007 Herb Wegner Award for Lifetime Achievement upon Jolette, president and CEO of San Mateo Credit Union in Redwood City, Calif.
Jolette received the industry's highest honor at a special awards presentation dinner in Washington D.C., Feb. 25.
"Barry is the epitome of those men and women who have dedicated their life to promoting credit union philosophy, created innovative concepts, and provided leadership that has had a significant and lasting impact on the national and international credit union movement," wrote James D. Likens, president and dean of Western CUNA Management School and board chairman of First City Credit Union, Los Angeles.
Jolette told the Credit Union Journal that he has dedicated his life to credit unions and couldn't imagine doing anything else.
"To be honored for that is pretty neat," he said, admitting that he's typically not comfortable with awards. "You see an opportunity to make a difference and you do it."
That said, "It's a heck of an honor when you think about all the people working in credit unions," Jolette said.
Jolette said his biggest hope is that his career highlights will inspire others to do more. "If getting this award makes just a few people think more about what they might do to make a difference, I'm happy."
42 Years Of Highlights
Likens, a past recipient of the same honor, wrote a four-page nomination letter highlighting Jolette's career that, so far, has spanned 42 years, 19 with the National Credit Union Administration, the remainder with what Jolette once characterized as "the other side."
"In 1965, Barry began 19 years of unusually dedicated and effective service at NCUA," Likens wrote. "Famous for seven-day work weeks, he was the acknowledged NCUA leader in the effort to get credit unions qualified for deposit insurance, in modernizing training for federal and state examiners, and in moving credit union accounting in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Standards."
After leaving the NCUA, Jolette managed one of the first credit unions to successfully emerge from NCUA conservatorship.
"With great determination, commitment, and hard work, Barry was able to save that small credit union and return it to its membership," wrote Larry Sharp, CEO of Arrowhead Credit Union, San Bernardino, Calif.
In 1987, Jolette took the reins of San Mateo Credit Union, a small credit union in a sea of for-profit banks and large asset CUs. Today, SMCU has $560 million in assets, 60,000 members and 165 employees.
"When Barry became our CEO in 1987, we were a small $57 million credit union on the San Francisco Peninsula-overshadowed by the likes of Patelco and Provident," wrote Donna J. Vaillancourt, SMCU board chair. "With Barry's vision and leadership, our assets have grown ten-fold to $567 million."
In the process, she said, he never lost sight of the CU's role in serving the underserved.
The efforts that include providing low-income loans to family didn't go unnoticed in 2006, when the credit union was recognized as National Lending Partner of the Year by the Ways to Work Program, Vaillancourt said.
Jolette was also was active in local civic organizations including Rotary, Redwood City San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco Consumer Credit Counseling Service and Balance Committee and inspired his own staff to also become involved.
Synonymous With Service
"San Mateo Credit Union is now synonymous with service and relied upon as a strong community partner," she said, noting that staff have logged hundreds of volunteer hours by forming teams and raising funds for the Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society, partnering with civic organization to collect backpacks and school supplies for children in need or spearheading neighborhood clean up events.
"Barry Jolette is an inspiration to me and all who know him," Vaillancourt wrote. "My colleagues on the San Mateo Credit Union board have first hand knowledge of Barry's role as a mentor to others, his passion for the credit union movement, and his tireless efforts on our behalf at all levels. He is a rare individual whose lasting influence will continue to be felt for many years to come."
Likens and other industry leaders also outlined a long list of credit union organizations that Jolette has given service to over the years. Among them, the California Credit Union League, CUNA's Government Affairs and World Affairs Committee, Western CUNA Management School, the World Council of Credit Unions, Credit Union Direct Lending, and the Department of Financial Institutions Credit Union Advisory Board, for starters.
"When I arrived at the California Credit Union League, Barry was the first to call and say in his special way, 'OK, what can I do to help you, Chatfield?" recalled David Chatfield, retired president of the California/Nevada Credit Union Leagues. "I responded that I hoped he'd become even more involved in league leadership."
After a bit of grumbling that he didn't think he'd be very good at it, Chatfield said, Jolette became immersed in league volunteerism, serving in leadership roles with nearly every committee that has ever existed.
Chatfield added, "He went on to be one of the finest board chairmen the league has ever had-and that's very heavy company." In 2005, Chatfield presented Jolette with California's highest honor, the Leo H. Shapiro Lifetime Achievement Award.
Playing A Role With WOCCU
Other supporters said that Jolette has also been extremely effective in his roles as CUNA chairman and World Council of Credit Union's treasurer and second vice-chair.
"Always, Barry has worked diligently to protect credit union rights as demonstrated by his chairmanship of the Credit Union National Association board of directors and his ongoing political involvement," wrote Ava Milosevich, CEO of SELCO Community Credit Union, Eugene, Ore. "A numbers guy with a heart-that describes Barry to a tee. His natural skills and abilities help him size up situation and negotiate solutions."
For the last two years, Jolette has served of the boards of the directors of Credit Union Lending and the World Council of Credit Unions.
"He has reached beyond our borders on behalf of the World Council of Credit Unions to ensure that the benefits of credit unions membership were accessible world wide," wrote Dan Mica, CEO of CUNA, pointing out that Jolette presently serves on CUNA's World Leadership Development Committee and is one of the CUNA delegates to the WOCCU. He is also second VP of WOCCU's board.
On-The-Spot Decisions
In the early 1990s, Jolette organized and chaired a political action group to plan and promote political activities among California Credit Union League chapters in the San Francisco Bay area. Five years later, he chaired a special task force to fight additional taxation-and won.
Others gave examples of just how deeply Jolette feels about the CU industry and people in general.
"I first met Barry in the early 1980s when he worked in San Francisco as a regional director of NCUA," Likens said, explaining that he needed the NCUA's permission to merge its way out of a financial hole. "The local examiner recommended against the merger. Other NCUA minions agreed."
But, Jolette listened, sized them up, and approved the merger. "On the spot," Likens said. "I will never forget it. This was not the behavior of a risk-averse bureaucrat trying to keep his record free of mistakes. This was Barry Jolette, a man of courage and conviction acting in the best interest of credit unions."
Thanks to his decision, Likens said, the combined credit union was saved.
But, said Likens, there's more to the man than the time he gives.
"He is smart," Likens said. "He always knows what is going on at the deepest level. He can make a decision, and when he does, he seems always to exercise sound judgment and to act wisely."
Besides that, he's a nice guy, others said.
"While perhaps not germane to Barry's nomination or the Herb Wagner Lifetime Achievement Award, it is important to note that during the 1970s and early 1980s, Barry somehow found time to be very involved in his church and community," wrote Allen Carver, president, Allen Carver and Associates, Inc., Cummina, Ga., a former neighbor of the Jolette family and a former NCUA regional director himself. "Barry contributed large significant hours and effort to make our neighborhood a better place to live and raise a family."
Other Stories Shared
Others had equally impressive stories.
"Many years ago, my best friend's husband died unexpectedly," said Patsy Van Ouwerkerk, president/CEO of Travis Credit Union, Vacaville, Calif. "Diane, who lived near Barry's credit union, was left with two small sons to support. She had not worked for awhile and needed to re-enter the job market."
Ouwerkerk said that as soon as she shared her friend's story with Jolette, he said he would find a job for her at the credit union.
"It's that willingness to help others that truly sets him apart," Ouwerkerk wrote.
Likens also pointed out that Jolette has often anonymously paid for financially strapped students to attend Western CUNA Management School.
