Letter to the Editor: State Employees Credit Union of North Carolina

I have been a member of the State Employees’ Credit Union since 1974. I was a career employee with SECU where I enjoyed service in Raleigh, Goldsboro, Kinston, and Kenansville.

Throughout the history of SECU, every member was treated with the same quality of service and loan rates. The average housekeeping assistant was given the same rate as the governor would receive on a similar loan. SECU lived up to its “Not for profit” cooperative concept. It was a unique rarity among financial institutions. Our service and products enabled us to become the second largest credit union in the United States. Member surveys were simply outstanding.

Today is a different day. SECU has changed substantially over the last three years as the current management in Raleigh and the board have changed its focus from grassroots input and service to corporate centralization in Raleigh. Local influence has been reduced significantly.

SECU no longer pays competitive rates on our money market accounts and many of our loan members have to pay a surcharge because of credit bureau algorithms without local override capability. This is happening at the same time our board was boasting of historic record profits at last year’s annual meeting.

Beginning Sept. 3, more than 2.7 million ballots were mailed to members of the State Employees Credit Union. This year there are four board nominated candidates opposing 4 member nominated candidates. The four member-nominated candidates are Julian Hawes, Jean Blaine, Susie Ford and Kirby Parrish. These member nominated candidates have a stated goal of “Get Back to the Basics” with the following platform:

End risk -based lending. Restore same best rate for every member.Restore competitive savings rates for every member.Restore “Do the right thing” for every member.Restore local focus, local communities, and local jobs.Restore employee faith for fairness and equal opportunity.

Please vote for the member nominated candidates. For information on each candidate, please refer to the website secuforall.com.

Thank you.

Doug Noble

Former Kenansville SECU Branch Manager