[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 34 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E237-E238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING RON McDANIEL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 27, 2017

  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ron 
McDaniel, CEO of California Credit Union and a leader in the credit 
union system who is retiring next month.

[[Page E238]]

   Ron's credit union career includes 23 years in senior management at 
Point Mugu Federal Credit Union (now Premier America CU) in Ventura, 19 
of those as president and CEO. Since 2004, he has served as CEO of 
California Credit Union.
   Ron has been a leader amongst his peers. He has served on the Credit 
Union National Association (CUNA) Board of Directors and its 
Governmental Affairs Committee. He has also served on the California 
Credit Union League Board of Directors, where he served as board 
chairman and chairman of the Government Relations Committee. In these 
roles he helped shape the policy agenda for credit unions in Sacramento 
and Washington, D.C. and was called upon to testify on behalf of credit 
unions before the California Senate and Assembly.
   In the days before credit unions were allowed to provide checking 
accounts, Ron participated in the National Credit Union 
Administration's (NCUA) pilot share draft program, which created the 
first checking accounts for credit union members. In 1979, Congress 
authorized credit unions to experiment with share drafts for a three-
month period. Shortly after the successful pilot program began, the 
American Bankers Association sued NCUA arguing that it was illegal for 
credit unions to provide something that was so similar to a checking 
account. In 1978, a district court ruled that under the Federal Credit 
Union Act, the NCUA could authorize credit unions to offer share 
drafts. This new program became an instant success among credit union 
members.
   From 1980 through 1982, Ron was part of the California Credit Union 
League's ATM Task Force. At the time, most credit unions did not have 
an ATM. Ron was part of the steering committee that developed the idea 
of creating a nationwide ATM network for credit unions, which 
ultimately led to the formation of the CO-OP Financial Services system 
and later into shared branching. Ron was actively involved in 
developing the corporate structure for CO-OP and helped shepherd the 
idea through its first turbulent (and unprofitable) years.
   During the mid-1990s, the banking industry coordinated an attack on 
the community charter model of service for credit unions. At the time, 
Ron was CEO of Point Mugu Federal Credit Union. When the Navy 
dramatically reduced its operations at Point Mugu, the credit union's 
existence was threatened. Through Ron's leadership, Point Mugu decided 
to expand and become more of a community charter credit union to serve 
the needs of consumers throughout Ventura County. When the NCUA 
approved this expansion, the banking industry sued the NCUA. This 
lawsuit, along with a similar lawsuit filed by banks against the NCUA 
and AT&T Family Federal Credit Union, culminated in a Supreme Court 
decision that would have drastically limited consumer access to credit 
unions.
   Ron worked tirelessly with the California League, CUNA, and the NCUA 
to develop a legislative solution. He was active in public and private 
advocacy on behalf of credit unions that relied on the existence of a 
robust community charter model. Ultimately, the efforts of Ron and 
others resulted in the enactment of the Credit Union Membership Access 
Act of 1998. It is not an exaggeration to say that this single piece of 
legislation saved the community charter model and has provided access 
to credit union services for millions of consumers and allowed hundreds 
of credit unions to thrive throughout the country.
   For his accomplishments and contributions to the credit union 
system, Ron received the League's Distinguished Service Award in 1999. 
For his advocacy efforts throughout the years, he received the League's 
Advocacy Lifetime Award in 2016.
   In his community, Ron served for several years on the board of Cal 
Lutheran University's Alumni Association including one term as 
president. He also served on the University's Board of Regents, where 
his responsibilities included assignments on the Administration and 
Finance Committee; the Investment Committee that oversees the 
University's endowment; and on the Audit Committee. He was chairman of 
the Credit Unions for Kids Advisory Board for Children's Hospital Los 
Angeles.
   Ron is an excellent ambassador for the credit union movement. I have 
enjoyed my many conversations with Ron over the years about how credit 
unions can better serve individuals and small businesses. I am pleased 
to join my friends and constituents in the credit union system in 
congratulating Ron McDaniel on his years of service and dedication to 
America's credit unions.

                          ____________________