El Paso Area Credit Union Leaders Meet with Congresswoman Escobar

Leaders of El Paso area credit unions met with U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-El Paso, 16th congressional district) on Dec. 13 to deliver a political contribution from the Texas Credit Union Association and CULAC, the PAC of the Credit Union National Association, to Escobar’s campaign for her primary race.  

Attending the meeting were: GECU President and CEO Crystal Long, GECU Director of Advocacy Monica Galindo, TFCU President and CEO Max Villaronga, FirstLight FCU Chief Retail Officer Jim Huff, and One Source FCU CEO Oscar Carbajal. 

Escobar recognized the work credit unions do to elevate the community and was especially pleased to see credit unions from across the city coming together in a cooperative spirit to offer their appreciation and support. 

“At TFCU, we are glad to engage our community leaders, like Congresswoman Escobar, to ensure they understand the impact of proposed and current legislation on consumers in the border region,” said Villaronga. “We are thankful that she has an open door allowing us keep our members needs at the forefront of decision-making and policy.”

Carbajal expressed similar sentiments. "As credit union leaders, we feel that having an open line of communication with our legislators is imperative to our success now and in the future,” he said. “We are thankful that we have that with Congresswoman Escobar.”

Escobar said she grew up with credit unions that helped her when she needed it most, and that is why she will continue supporting the work that credit unions do. She relies on credit unions to raise awareness on issues she and her team can address—including red flags. She expressed her pride in representing credit unions in Texas and in Washington, D.C. 

“The personal experiences that Rep. Escobar has had in her life, that make her such an advocate for the credit union industry, is evidence that every member relationship matters, said Huff. “It reaffirms that we work in an industry full of individuals that work tirelessly day in and day out to make a difference in the lives of every member they serve.”

“It’s always a pleasure meeting with our elected officials to represent the nearly half a million credit union members we collectively serve in our community,” said Long, a veteran advocate in the credit union industry. “It’s important to continue discussing the credit union difference with our leaders as we advocate for financial well-being for all.”