New Jersey League Names Rekant to Governmental Affairs Position

HIGHTSTOWN, N.J.-Scott Rekant, counsel for the New Jersey State Credit Union League (NJCUL) for the last two-and-a-half years, has been named director of governmental affairs. Rekant replaces Evan Childs, who left the league to pursue career opportunities outside the credit union field. Credit Union Times had the opportunity to speak with Rekant about his new position and the job ahead of him. CU Times: How do you feel about your appointment? Rekant: I’m looking forward to it as a challenge. I worked with Evan while he was here, and I’ll continue all the things he started. I think Evan did a good job, and I’ll try to build on that. CU Times: What about your background makes this a good fit for you? Rekant: There’s a lot of legislation to be dealt with and analysis of regulations. Because of my legal background, I think that’s where my strengths are. I understand how legislation is written and how it’s revised. I know how regulations are prepared. And that, at least, will help assist me in the job. CU Times: What are the most critical issues facing New Jersey credit unions now and in the future? Rekant: The ability to continue to provide services to their members is one of the most important challenges to New Jersey credit unions.making sure that they’re authorized to provide services, that they have the tools to do their job and that regulatory burdens are relieved as much as possible as long as the safety and soundness of credit unions is protected. In terms of the League’s political agenda, we have to maintain close relationships with our delegation. We have to make sure that New Jersey’s senators and representatives have close ties with their constituents who also happen to be credit union members. We’re keeping an eye on the tax issue, and we have to make sure our members are aware of the issues so that they can speak to their members and their members, in turn, can speak to their elected representatives. We need to make it so credit unions can serve their members without unnecessary paperwork, without unnecessary constraints. For example, one issue that has been unnecessarily tough for some credit unions is the prompt corrective action rule. We have to continue to address that to their benefit. CU Times: What do you see as the biggest challenge for your job? Rekant: I would have to say keeping the momentum going for the work we’ve done so far in connecting with our legislators, trying to improve those relationships at the federal level and continuing to connect our membership with their representatives at the state level. CU Times: How do you hope to do that? Rekant: I’m too new to have concrete plans yet on what to do, but I will be looking for advice and assistance from our credit unions, their professional staffs and their volunteers. CU Times: What do you think you will like most about your new job? Rekant: Dealing with people.dealing with our representatives, our senators and their staffs.dealing our credit union members, credit union staffs and volunteers.working with them to let elected representatives know what’s important to their voting constituents. CU Times: What do you think you will like least? Rekant: I’ll like nothing the least; it will all be good (laugh). Seriously, some of the excitement of the job is that things happen so quickly. At the same time, some of the pressure of the job is that things happen so quickly. The challenge will be to get things done well in a short period of time.