Former Cornerstone CEO inducted into Cooperative Hall of Fame

Cornerstone Credit Union League's longtime CEO Richard L. "Dick" Ensweiler was officially inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

During the 2019 Inductee Panel session, which took place at the afternoon Cooperative Issues Forum, Ensweiler joined three other distinguished inductees, Terry Appleby, Anne Reynolds, and Richard Stammer, to reminisce about their introductions to the cooperative world and the mistakes they made in their careers.

The panel also discussed Millennials and what this generation means for cooperatives, as well as how they fit into the cooperative business model. Ensweiler pointed to the enormous opportunity credit unions have to serve future financial services needs and explained how the credit union business model can be applied to other cooperative models.

2019 Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees serve on a panel during the Cooperative Issues Forum. Left to right: Terry Appleby, Dick Ensweiler, Anne Reynolds, and Richard Stammer.

Border Federal Credit Union CEO Maria Martinez and COO Ruben Cisneros join Cooperative Hall of Fame inductee Dick Ensweiler (center).

The panelists talked about how governance of cooperatives must evolve to serve in the current environment, and they expounded upon their personal experiences regarding the impact of cooperatives on members and communities.

"As we go to work every day, it can sometimes seem tedious and thankless," said Ensweiler. "But we are blessed that we get to go to work with the sole purpose of servicing our members. It’s a very special place in this world."

Attending the event and representing the Network of Latino Credit Unions and Professionals was Border Federal Credit Union CEO Maria Martinez and Ruben Cisneros.