[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 13427-13428]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATING JOHN ANNALORO ON HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ADAM SMITH

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2012

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor John Annaloro, 
the CEO of the Northwest Credit Union Association, on his retirement 
after nearly 30 years of working in the credit union industry.
  John's passion for people and economics first brought him to the 
credit union industry in the mid-1980s. After leading the Congressional 
and regulatory affairs teams of the California Credit Union League, 
John became the CEO at the Washington Credit Union League in 1997. He 
led the Washington League through an efficient and effective merger 
with the Credit Union Association of Oregon in 2011. Now known as the 
Northwest Credit Union Association, this organization advocates for 
more than 160 credit unions in the States of Washington and Oregon. 
Currently nearly 4.4 million consumers belong to a credit union in 
Washington and Oregon.
  John came to the credit union movement with a great deal of previous 
experience. He spent seven years as the Chairman and CEO of a computer 
software development corporation with a worldwide client base. He spent 
six years at the University of California as a mathematics professor, 
dean, and department chairman. He is an author with more than a dozen 
published books and articles on computer science and business. This 
extensive

[[Page 13428]]

expertise explains John's approach to effecting change in the credit 
union system.
  Under John's leadership, Washington credit unions encouraged the 
creation of a television program, BizKid$ on PBS, to teach school 
children about business. John was approached by a team of producers who 
were trying to create a program to help educate children about 
corporations, financial responsibility, and entrepreneurship. John and 
his staff brought credit unions together to finance this program, which 
is now seen by children in nearly every State.
  John worked to ensure credit unions would lend responsibly and was a 
driving force behind the establishment of the Business Lending School 
at the Northwest Credit Union Association. Through this, credit union 
professionals receive expert training on business lending issues. On 
John's watch, the credit unions of the Northwest maintained a safe and 
sound financial position, even during times of overall financial 
instability.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize John 
Annaloro. John is a leader who personifies the core philosophy of 
credit unions, which is ``People Helping People.'' I wish him the best 
for his retirement.

                          ____________________