Vancity Announces 2012 Board of Directors Election Candidates

Vancouver, British Columbia.  Vancity today announced the names of 13 candidates who hope to help guide Canada’s largest community- based credit union in making positive financial, social and environmental impacts through sustainable banking.

Vancity’s 2012 Board of Directors election runs from April 3 to 27, and provides an opportunity for Vancity’s members – who are owners and its only shareholders – to vote and make an impact in guiding the financial cooperative.

“We’re at a unique and important time in the history of banking – the need for a strong, values-based, community-led financial cooperative has never been greater,” says Virginia Weiler, chair of the board of directors. “We have three positions available and a strong list of candidates who have applied to fill these positions for a period of three years.  We thank all of the candidates who are interested in bringing their skills and talents forward to serve our members and we encourage all of our members to exercise their democratic right to vote.”

Vancity’s Nominations and Election committee, which consists of four members-at-large and two Directors from the Board, oversee the election process, including the screening and recommendation of candidates.

To ensure an optimal mix of people on the Board and to best meet the Board’s needs at this time, an emphasis has been placed on candidates who have complex entrepreneurial experience resulting in strategic ability and business acumen relevant to a large organization and those who have demonstrated skills for leading people and projects, and a governing track record in emerging social justice, economic and environmental issues relevant to Vancity members. As such, the Nominations and Election Committee has recommended five of these candidates (those marked *) as those who best meet this criteria. Members can vote for their choice of one, two or three of any of the candidates below. 

Candidates running for election are:  * Represents recommended candidates

Members have been mailed a 2012 Election Bulletin providing the necessary voting information and profiles on all candidates to help make a more informed voting choice.  Members can learn more about a specific candidate through traditional and online media and by visiting www.vancity.com   Voting will take place in-branches and through mail-in ballots and members who are personal account holders can also vote online at www.vancity.com

About Vancity
At Vancity we make you good money by putting money to good. Vancity’s vision of redefining wealth incorporates personal and community well-being.  Vancity has distributed $221 million to members through dividends and to communities through grants and community investment initiatives since 1994. We are a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values – a network of the world’s leading sustainable banks sharing the commitment to achieving triple-bottom-line impact through responsible banking practices.  A Living Wage employer, Vancity is Canada’s largest community credit union, with $16.1 billion in assets, more than 479,500 members and 59 branches throughout Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Victoria and Squamish. More information about Vancity is available at vancity.com.  

For more information contact:
Lorraine Wilson lorraine_wilson@vancity.com
Cell: 778.837.0394