Greg Smith, CEO of CU*NorthWest, was recognized by CU*Answers as the 12th recipient of the Robert H. Mackay award at the 2016 CU*BASE Leadership Conference held on June 22nd in Grand Rapids.

Accepting the award at the gathering of 200 credit union professionals, Greg Smith recalled his relationship with Bob Mackay during the early years of the CU*NorthWest CUSO, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary. “Bob was a quiet but assertive supporter, and frequently coached me on the importance of the cooperative principles. I’m very proud to have been a part of what the CU*NorthWest owners and clients have built, and look forward to continuing to evolve with them.”

The Robert H. Mackay award was established in 2005 to recognize the leadership contribution of Robert Mackay, retired CEO of Berrien Teachers CU (now known as Honor Credit Union,) who served as a member of the CU*Answers Board of Directors from 1985 to 2007 and as Chairman for 19 of those years. Randy Karnes, CU*Answers CEO said “Bob’s leadership and inspiration served not only as a guide but as the compass for CU*Answers to grow and prosper into a CUSO that is now known in the industry for its core values of cooperation, collaboration and innovation.” Each year this award is presented to an individual who exemplifies these leadership skills.