Arrha Credit Union, Kristen Coia Honored by Cooperative Credit Union Assoc.

SPRINGFIELD — The Cooperative Credit Union Assoc. recognized Arrha Credit Union with the Excellence in Advocacy Award for promoting the interests of credit unions among its legislative, regulatory, and consumer audiences.

The engagement in advocacy included many outreach efforts, such as Michael Ostrowski, Arrha’s president and CEO, visiting Washington, D.C., to be part of the ongoing credit-union industry legislative discussions, seeking approvals to fully utilize today’s advances in technology, providing financial literacy, and being part of the World Affairs Committee of Credit Union National Assoc. and its world arm, the World Council of Credit Unions, to lend aid and assistance to Puerto Rico’s credit unions.

Ostrowski also traveled to Cuba to engage its government on establishing credit unions and, most recently, to Poland to assist its credit unions in regulatory advocacy with the Polish government. The Excellence in Advocacy Award was given to one credit union in Massachusetts that best demonstrated its commitment to advocacy.

Kristen Coia, operations manager at Arrha Credit Union, received the association’s Young Professionals Award for being an upcoming, proactive professional.

“Kristen’s dedication to the credit union’s members is admirable,” Ostrowski said. “She strives to help every member and employee by saying, ‘yes, we can help you’ and avoiding the ‘no’ word. She looks to find creative ways to solve our members’ needs when a standard answer just will not do.”