Why We Have an Annual Meeting

Annual meetings represent a fundamental part of our identity as a credit union. They differentiate us from banks: Instead of answering to unknown investors, we report to you, our members. You truly have a voice, and we are listening.

When the credit union movement began in Europe back in the 1850s (the first U.S. credit union was established in 1909), it was still a novel idea that everyday people might be the informed owners of their chosen financial institution. Annual meetings were, and are, a symbol of this new way of operating. Each year, credit union members around the world gather to review their credit union’s key financial data and vote on important matters.

I still remember some of my first credit union annual meetings. When I was a child, my father served on the board of directors of a small credit union near our home. He would often tell stories of the people that the credit union helped and encouraged all of us to go to the annual meetings where details were shared and he would seek reelection to the board. Back then, that small credit union handed out silver dollars to all the members who attended. I still have several of the ones I got at those meetings.    

At Rogue, we hold our annual meeting every February. Open to all our members, the meeting is an opportunity to hear directly from your credit union’s leadership, learn about the state of your credit union, and ask any questions you may have. Since 1956, the annual meeting has been a time to gather and share about where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.

As a member-owner of Rogue Credit Union, you have access to the financial statements of your credit union. I’m proud to share that your credit union remains safe, sound and secure. Your participation in the credit union continues to provide accessible financial services for your friends and neighbors, and your money remains invested here, benefiting the local economy and supporting community growth.

We’ve come a long way since Rogue’s first annual meeting, held in Room 216 at Medford Senior High School. We’ve grown from serving one county to two states, from operating out of a literal shoebox to managing over $3 billion in assets, from serving a handful of educators to a family of more than 206,000 people.

This is your credit union! You own it, you control it, and you have a voice.

I’d like to personally invite you to join us on Tuesday, February 20, at 5:30PM PST for our annual meeting. Please visit www.roguecu.org/annualmeeting for more information and the virtual meeting link.