RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – U.S. Central Credit Union, WesCorp, and CUNA Mutual have signed on as corporate sponsors for the first of its kind America's Credit Union booth exhibit at the 2004 National Automobile Dealers Association Convention that will be held Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2004 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event, which is considered the automotive industry's premier event of the year, is expected to draw more than 28,000 auto industry leaders, an estimated 41% of whom will be dealer principles. The 30 feet X 50 feet booth was developed by Credit Union Direct Corp. working with Callahan and Associates and representatives from some of the leading auto lending CUs in the U.S. It uses the America's Credit Unions brand and the theme “90 Million Reasons Why.” It's intended to demonstrate the cooperative strength of credit unions and their 90 million members, increase awareness of credit unions among car manufacturers and dealerships, and help develop strong partnerships with auto dealers throughout the U.S. As corporate sponsors for the event, U.S. Central, WesCorp and CUNA Mutual will provide financial and promotional support for the 53 CUs from 22 states that will participate at the convention. “Auto lending is a core business for credit unions, and therefore, establishing a larger presence with dealers is a benefit for members and the credit union industry as a whole,” said U.S. Central President/CEO Dan Kampen. Robert Siravo, president/CEO, WesCorp, concurred and added that, “By working together at this event, credit unions can demonstrate the strength of the credit union network and the important impact 80 million qualified auto buying members have on the auto industry.” “We believe the NADA Convention is an ideal opportunity to raise the visibility and credibility of the credit union industry, as well as develop a strong rapport with auto manufacturers and dealers from around the country,” said CUNA Mutual's Jeff Ramos, vp/senior marketing officer.