Credit Union Stories Spark Conversation with Lawmakers at Southwest Washington Chapter of Credit Unions’ Legislative Dinner

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on October 26, 2026

The Southwest Washington Chapter of Credit Unions hosted their Legislative Dinner in September, 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 76 attendees, including representatives from GoWest, 12 credit unions throughout Clark and Cowlitz Counties, and six Washington State Legislators from the 18th, 19th, 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 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.
• Scholarships: awarded four individuals with scholarships for education or professional development purposes.
• Ongoing Educational Workshops: facilitated several events focused on professional development topics including technology and innovation, connection, employee engagement, communication, and presentation skills. 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.

• Thomas Griffith, President and CEO at Pacific NW Federal Credit Union, spoke about credit union structure and tax status.
• Nelea Lem, Vice President of Sales at iQ Credit Union, gave a presentation on financial literacy.
• Heather Friend, Chief Operating Officer at Columbia Credit Union, rounded out the presentations with a discussion about fraud.

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: Cascade Community Credit Union, Columbia Credit Union, Fibre Federal Credit Union, HAPO Community Credit Union, iQ Credit Union, OnPoint Community Credit Union, Pacific NW Federal Credit Union, Peak Credit Union, People’s Community Federal Credit Union, Red Canoe Credit Union, Rivermark Community Credit Union, and Unitus Community Credit Union.

Posted in Chapters, Oregon, Regional Member News, Small Credit Unions, Washington.