2002 Hall of Fame Winner

Robert Schumacher Vice President, Marketing Snohomish County PUD Credit Union Everett, WA

"I've known Bob for more than 20 years and he has always epitomized what credit union marketing is all about: a creative and innovative marketer, and a passionate credit union advocate," says Mark Condon, CUNA and Affiliates' senior vice president of association services, about former colleague Robert Schumacher, marketing vice president of Snohomish County PUD Credit Union, Everett, Wash.

"Bob isn't afraid to try new challenges," says Jim Hanson, vice president of CUNA's publications department and publisher of Credit Union Magazine. "One of the things he does best is network. He's a people person, which makes him a natural for the credit union world." Both Condon and Hanson worked with Schumacher at the start of his credit union career when he worked on CUNA's national advertising program (NAP) in the 1970s.

For 10 years, Schumacher's responsibilities were to speak to credit union groups on the importance of marketing, raise money for the NAP, help create a credit union brand image, and increase public awareness of credit unions. His efforts included getting credit union television spots during the 1980 Winter Olympics and having the NAP sponsor a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade, which was a relatively inexpensive way to get national airtime that also won the NAP several trophies.

Schumacher then moved on to the Washington Credit Union League & Affiliates for six years and the Florida Credit Union League for three years before accepting his present position. He served on many committees at the Washington League and also chaired the CUNA Marketing Council's international membership committee and designed and chaired the partners sponsorship committee.

Schumacher was awarded the Washington League's Stephen R. Covey Personal Leadership Award in 1995.

—Elizabeth Thompson