Rita L. Haynes retired as CEO of Faith Community United Credit Union (FCUCU) in Cleveland, Ohio after serving the credit union as a director with many volunteer duties from 1958 to May 2011. Asset of the fledging Mt. Sinai Baptist Church Credit union when she and her husband, James, volunteered to help were less than $1,000.00. Upon her departure as CEO in 2011 assets were over 10 Million dollars owned by over 5 thousand members.
Faith Community United Credit Union transitioned from a single church charter to a community development credit union in 1990 positioning it to have a paid staff and serve the entire county including the low income south side of Cleveland where all the banks had fled and payday lending had set up shop. Partnering with WECO they were successful in acquiring a modern bank branch building with ATM access and offer full service six days a week.
She credits God for giving her wisdom to seek out partnerships and collaborate with larger organizations such as the Cleveland Chapter, Ohio CU League, Inner City Association of Minority Credit Unions, National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, WECO, CUNA, AACUC, NAACP and Urban League.
Serving as the first Faith based Credit Union chairman of NFCDCU in 1992 positioned her for election on the national scene. She was elected to the Federation board as alternate in 1992 and served as a director until 2008. Rita led the board as chair from 2001 to 2006 during which time they pioneered IDAs, VISTAs, CDFI Fund, The Capitalization Fund, Small Business Partnership and accredited school in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University and CUNA. She was in the first graduating class.
In Ohio she served as director pioneering the Ohio CU Foundation and has the distinction of having the small credit union program in Ohio branded The Haynes Circle upon her retirement.
AACUC honored her in 2005 with the Pete Crear Lifetime Achievement award. The CUNA Foundation’s Herb Wagner Award in 2008 highlighted her “Grace Loan” pay-day loan alternatives products.
Rita and James are blessed to have been married for 58 years. Their daughter Jama, MBA, is COO at FCUCU and Spelman College Alumni Chair. Son James is employed at USPO. His daughter, Dr. Lateira Haynes teaches in L.A. and son James III graduated as a welder.
"To GOD be the glory for the things he has done."
