With American consumers continuing to need reliable financial advice from budgeting to navigating financial hardships, Marshfield Medical Center Credit Union (MMCCU) is a proud participant of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Financial Counseling Certification Program (FiCEP).
This program provides credit union staff with the skills and knowledge required to guide members to financial security. At MMCCU, Michele Foth, Financial Services Officer; Paige Schreiber, Loan Officer; and David Murphy, VP-Finance & Risk are all CUNA certified.
“Dealing with financial issues can be complex. Despite all of the information available to us on the Internet, there are times when consumers want to sit down with someone to discuss the intricacies of their finances with a trusted partner,” said Murphy. “For decades, credit unions have been that trusted partner in the community. We want our members to know there are members on staff who have gone through extensive training to assist them no matter what their financial situation looks like.”
The CCUFC designation is earned through the FiCEP program, and is designed for credit union staff who work in the financial counseling, collections and loan departments, or any other staff who are committed to helping members gain control of their financial future.
“Having the CCUFC certification helps to listen for more key components when meeting with members,” said Schreiber. “It helps to better guide members and give direction. Having the members; best interest is my number one goal as a Loan Officer & CCUFC.”
“There is also a network of designated counselors, which allows our staff to bounce ideas off of other CCUFCs and help come up with answers to our own member’s questions,” added Murphy.
To earn the CCUFC designation, a credit union staff member must complete a combination of educational objectives and pass the required exams. Recertification is required every three years.
According to CUNA, since 2011, credit unions with at least one Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) have seen a significant drop in delinquency rates.
“If someone would like to sit down with one of our certified financial counselors to discuss their finances, please reach out to the credit union to set up a time to meet with us. We are always happy to help however we can,” said Murphy. “The member does not need to handle their finances solely through us; we’re happy to discuss their situation even if they work with another financial institution. The goal is not to see what we can sell the member; rather, the goal is to help answer any questions or solve any financial dilemmas a member may be going through.”
