Deep commitment to member service and the cooperative principles characterize Rudy Hanley’s 38-year contribution to the cooperative movement.

For 31 years, Hanley led SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, which grew under his direction from a single location with $150 million in assets into the largest U.S. credit union for school employees, with 45 branches in California, $10 billion in assets and 600,000 members.

Before joining SchoolsFirst, Hanley worked as an attorney for the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), where he became an advocate for the co-op model, successfully defending credit unions’ tax-exempt status. Hanley continued to defend credit unions throughout his career, both on Capitol Hill and in the California Statehouse.

Following his work at CUNA, Hanley lead the research and development department of the California Credit Union League. He joined SchoolsFirst FCU in 1982.

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Under Hanley’s direction, SchoolsFirst instituted financial products tailored to its members, including a low-interest credit card and affordable, low-fee mortgages without a mortgage insurance requirement. He developed extensive financial education programs for members and rallied credit union colleagues to fund the PBS financial literacy program, Biz Kid$.

Hanley embraced innovative technologies, bringing ATMs and other electronic services to the membership and co-founding an organization to research and develop technology solutions for credit unions.

Beyond his considerable accomplishments, colleagues admire Hanley’s qualities as a mentor and leader, praising him for “making leaders out of otherwise ordinary people.”

Let Rudy know you appreciate his commitment to cooperatives by adding your name to the Friends of Rudy Hanley page in the Cooperative Hall of Fame Commemorative Program.

To add your name, visit the Cooperative Hall of Fame sponsorship page or contact cdurand@cdf.coop by April 1, 2018.

The Cooperative Hall of Fame is administered by the Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF), the 501(c)(3) non-profit affiliate of NCBA CLUSA promoting community, economic and social development through cooperative enterprise. The Cooperative Hall of Fame gallery is on display at NCBA CLUSA headquarters in Washington, DC, and can also be viewed online at www.heroes.coop.