About Us
The National Center for Member Trust is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, formed to support the member-owners of credit unions that
are attempting to convert to banks. We are very grateful to the dozens of individuals, non-profits, and credit unions who have provided the
financial support that makes our work possible.
Our Founding Volunteers
- Bucky Sebastian, CEO, GTE Federal Credit Union, Tampa, FL
- Jim Blaine, CEO, State Employees’ Credit Union, Raleigh, NC
- Randy Chambers, CFO, Self-Help, Durham, NC
How We Can Help
If asked by members, the National Center for Member Trust provides technical and strategic
assistance regarding credit union conversions. If
your credit union is attempting to convert to bank and you would like more information,
contact us.
Why We Do It
After watching over thirty credit unions convert into banks in the last decade, costing their
members millions of dollars of ownership, we saw that most conversions were not happening in a
fair way. Member-owners weren't getting the full story or the support they needed to make their
voices heard. Because of our commitments to the principles of fairness, democratic governance,
and cooperative ownership of financial institutions, we formed the National Center for Member Trust
to help support member-owners of credit unions that are attempting to convert.
We believe that, because the net worth of a credit union belongs to its member-owners,
the distribution of that net worth to directors, executives, and outside professional investors
violates the trust between credit union member-owners and their elected and appointed leaders. We
support the members' right to exercise their democratic ownership, including the right to choose
the charter option that provides the greatest benefit to all members. We believe that directors and
management owe their members fair and honest information, including information on all options
available to the members, such as remaining a credit union, converting to bank, merging, or
liquidating.
Read our
Credit Union to Bank Conversion Principles.
NCMT In the News:
"First Basin Suspends Conversion Balloting But May Try Again", Credit Union Times, 2/27/08.
"Campaign Season - First Member-To-Member Letters Inaugurate New Era In CU-Bank Conversion Fight", Credit Union Times, 1/23/08.
"Lafayette Retreat on Conversion is Group's 2nd Win", American Banker, 1/17/07.
On NCMT support for the members of Lafayette Federal Credit Union.
"The National Center for Member Trust Working for CU Members' Right to Know",
Credit Union Times, 10/18/06. On the founding of NCMT.
"Bankrolling CU Members who Oppose Conversions", American Banker, 10/10/06.
On NCMT support for DFCU Owners United, members of DFCU Federal Credit Union.
"Should The Earnings of Credit Unions That Convert to Banks be Taxed?", Credit Union Times, 5/24/06.
