Southwest Washington Chapter of Credit Unions Hosts Annual Legislative Dinner

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on October 27, 2025

On Sept. 19, the Southwest Washington Chapter of Credit Unions hosted their Legislative Dinner, joining together Chapter members, credit union leaders, and local legislators. By sharing stories of collaboration and People Helping People initiatives, credit union representatives showed lawmakers how advocacy creates lasting, positive impacts for members and their communities.

The Chapter welcomed 86 attendees, including representatives from GoWest, nine credit unions throughout Clark and Cowlitz Counties, and six Washington State Legislators from the 17th, 18th, 20th, and 49th districts.

To open the event, the Chapter highlighted the successes of its annual initiatives:

• Credit Union Day at the Capitol: 46 professionals from nine Southwest Washington credit unions traveled to Olympia to share impact and initiative information with legislators.
• Credit Unions Care Week: Local credit unions joined forces to collect essential supplies that supported Cloth + Foster in Clark County and Emergency Support Shelter in Cowlitz County.
• Educational Workshops: Several events focused on professional development topics, including innovation, connection, and communication. These sessions provide staff with valuable learning and development opportunities while reducing training expenses for credit unions through shared resources and collective funding.

Leaders from several Chapter credit unions presented compelling insights on topics affecting, driving, and inspiring the credit union movement.

• Ryan Sullivan, EVP, Chief Delivery & Revenue Officer at Fibre Federal Credit Union, spoke about ongoing challenges credit unions face with big banks and fintechs.
• Steven Staff, President and CEO of Unitus Community Credit Union, presented on state interchange bills.
• Joe Adamack, VP of Legislative Affairs at GoWest, rounded out the presentations with a discussion of legislative priorities.

Following the presentations, guest legislators were invited to share their perspectives on the matters discussed. This open dialogue between credit unions and lawmakers fosters enhanced collaboration, paving the way for a brighter future for the credit union movement and the communities they serve.

Credit unions in attendance: Columbia Credit Union, Fibre Federal Credit Union, iQ Credit Union, NW Priority Credit Union, OnPoint Community Credit Union, People’s Community Federal Credit Union, Red Canoe Credit Union, Rivermark Community Credit Union, and Unitus Community Credit Union.

Posted in Advocacy, Oregon, Regional Member News, Washington.