The Third Russian Credit Union Forum took place in Sochi!

Krasnodarskiy krai, Sochi - On April 19-21, 2009 the Third Russian Credit Union Forum was held and gathered for three days specialists of credit cooperation from various regions of Russia, neighboring and foreign counties.

The Russian Credit Union League organized the Forum. The Altai Credit Union Association was the general sponsor, VTB 24 was the strategic partner, the official partner was the insurance company “Russian Crown” and the sponsors were CU "Legion" and CU “Reserve". Over 170 specialists of credit cooperation participated in the Forum and representatives of federal and regional bodies as well.  

Besides representatives of partner organisations, national associations of credit unions of the CIS participated in the Forum. Representatives of federal and regional authorities did not stand aside of problems of Russian Credit Cooperation Movement and participated in the plenary sessions devoted current legislation, regulation and self-regulation within the sector of cooperative finances and the second tier credit cooperative as a necessary component of credit cooperation system. The three-day Forum was aimed to discuss acute issues in the field of credit cooperation, including issues of legislative maintenance of credit cooperative operation, regulation and self-regulation, management of credit cooperative in terms of current crisis.

There was the session on this topic which caused much interest among experts of credit cooperation. Leaders from many cooperatives shared their thoughts and practice of developments how to work in terms of current crisis, to solve financial issues and to find solutions with the least losses.

Hypothesis was stated during discussion that crisis was a sort of examination on durability and also new possibilities for development. After all crisis is a stage of economic development.

Participants could learn foreign experience of credit union operation within current situation. Anne Cochran, President & CEO of Louisiana Credit Union League, Eric Richard, Executive Vice President and General Counsel Credit Union National Association and Rod Taylor, President & CEO of Barksdale Federal Credit Union shared experience how to operate in terms of crisis.

At the Forum there was the awarding ceremony as this year for the first time the League instituted awards. At the awarding ceremony specialists credit cooperatives got awards for distinguished services and also veterans of Credit Union Movement were awarded for their long period of working in the field and commitment.  For the first time the League announced and carried out the competition among members on the four nomination and the winners were awarded at the Forum.  

Issues of book keeping and taxation in credit cooperatives were discussed at the session which raised many debates and where peers shared their practice with colleagues and also during the discussion revealed new ways of further activity and considered overall performance with available accounting programs and assessed perspectives to work with new ones which were presented at the Forum.

The leadership of the Credit Union League presented awards “Veteran of the Russian Credit Union League” in the first day of the Forum to the following experts:

1.     A. Auzan, League Chairman in 1994-1996, Moscow

2.     D. Plakhotnaya, Chief Executive Officer of Center for Credit Union Development, Moscow  

3.     S. Amosova, Chairwoman of Credit Union Association of Karelia, Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

4.     M. Ivanov, Chief Executive Officer of Interregional Credit Union Association, Kemerovskaya oblast, Yurga

5.       I. Kirnosov, Chairman of Credit Union “EKPA”, Khanty-Mansiyskiy Autonomous Area, Urai

The following experts got the award “Distinguished service in credit cooperation”:

1.     K. Alekseeva, Chief Executive Officer  of Credit Union “Aurora”, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk

2.     Y. Afanasieva, Accountant of Consumer Society “CU “Rainbow”, Moscow

3.     M. Galova, Chief Accountant of CCCC “Althea”, Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

4.     M. Degtyarev, Chairman of CCCC “Support”, Altaiskiy krai, Solton village

5.     L. Zhuravleva, Chief Accountant of CCCC “Choice”, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk

6.     T. Ivanova, Êàññèð-êîíòðîëåð of CCCC “Yurginskiy mashinostroitel”, Kemerovskaya oblast, Yurga

7.     T. Ivashkina, Chief Executive Officer of Consumer Society “CU “Rainbow, Moscow

8.     V. Kasatkin, Chief Executive Officer of the Altai Credit Union Association, Altaiskiy krai, Barnaul

 9.     N. Kasatkina, Chief Executive Officer of CCCC “Gorodskoy”, Altaiskiy krai, Barnaul

10.    V. Kostuchenko, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Union “Kemskiy”, Republic of Karelia, Kem`

11.    O. Kochan, Cashier-controller of CCCC “Yurginskiy mashinostroitel” Kemerovskaya oblast, Yurga

12.    O. Marinkevich, Head Deputy of Finance Department, CCCC “Yurginskiy mashinostroitel”, Kemerovskaya oblast, Yurga

13.    V. Okochutina, Head of Loan Committee of CCCC “CU “Althea”, Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

14.   N. Pavlov, Chief Executive Officer of CCCC “Savings Union” Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk

15.    O. Petrova, Executive Officer of Credit Union Association of Karelia, Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

16.    G. Skryabina, Executive Officer of the First Credit Societies Association of Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk

17.    Y. Tuynina, Chief Accountant of CCCC “Sunny”, Altaiskiy krai, Barnaul

18.    N. Tuyrina, Cashier-controller of CCCC “Yurginskiy mashinostroitel”, Kemerovskaya oblast, Yurga

19.    I. Fedorenko, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Union “Reserve”, Altaiskiy krai, Rubtsovsk

20.    G. Filippova, Chief Executive Officer of CCCC “Support”, Altaiskiy krai Solton village

21.    L. Furs, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Union “Segezhskiy”, Republic of Karelia, Segezh

22.   T. Chernyshova, Finance Director of CCCC “Union”, Altaiskiy krai, Barnaul

23.   T. Yagodkina, Head of Department (managing with clients) of  CCCC “Choice”, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk

24.   V. Kudinov, Chairman Deputy of Consumer Society “CU “Rainbow, Moscow

25.   N. Stolbova, Chairwoman of Consumer Society “CU “Rainbow, Moscow

26.   K. Volokho, PR specialist, Russian Credit Union League, Moscow

27.   N. Ivanova, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Union “Saturn”, Kemerovskaya oblast, Yurga

28.   N. Min`ko, Head of Credit Committee of Consumer Society “CU “Rainbow, Moscow 

The Third Russian Credit Union Forum was not only rich on awards but very rich. This year for the first time we celebrated experts of credit cooperation working for many years for the good of members of credit cooperatives, but also credit cooperatives. For the first time the Credit Union League held the competition «Credit consumer cooperative of year». We remind that there were four nominations within the competition: «Successful start», «Efficiency and development», «Social responsibility and charity», «Credit cooperative - innovator». And here are the names of those who performed the best results of work in 2008 and deserved award by right. 

Organizations took the following places in the nomination «Successful start»:

The first place – CCCC “Mutual credit fund”, Altaiskiy krai, Belokurikha

The second place – CCCC “Active”, Republic of Adygeya, Maykop

The third place – Consumer cooperative “Mutual credit society “Partner”, Republic of Bashkortostan

Organizations took the following places in the nomination «Efficiency and development»:

The first place – Credit Union “Gorodskoy”, Barnaul

The second place - CCCC “Yurginskiy mashinostroitel”, Kemerovskaya oblast, Yurga

The third place - Credit Union “Segezhskiy”, Republic of Karelia, Segezh

Organizations took the following places in the nomination «Social responsibility and charity»:

The first place - Credit Union “Rainbow”, Moscow

The second place - Credit Union “Reserve”, Altaiskiy krai, Rubtsovsk

The third place – Credit Union “Legion”, Krasnodarskiy krai, Armavir

Organizations took the following places in the nomination «Credit cooperative - innovator»:

The first place – Credit Union “Motherland”, Vladivostok

The second place – Credit Union “Mutual credit fund”, Saint-Petersburg

The third place – Credit Union “Vremya”, Primorskiy krai, Bolshoi Kamen`

We congratulate all winners of the competition «Credit consumer cooperative of year» and wish success, further development and prosperity!

We would like also to remind that the completion will be held annually. Do not miss opportunity to participate in the completion as you can be not only a part of history of the completion but also a chronicle of Credit Cooperation Movement of Russia. 

Tatiana Vodolazskaya