MADISON, Wis. – Lois Kitsch, who has managed credit union development projects internationally for the World Council of Credit union, has been named director of special projects for the Filene Research Institute. Working at WOCCU, Kitsch organized and hosted international conferences, and presented to credit union audiences in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the U.S. From 1997 to 2001, she served as project manager of a program designed to strengthen credit unions in the southern Philippines. A 2004 recipient of the Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Individual Achievement, she also received the Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Project, the Horizon Award from the National Credit Union Development Education Program, and several awards from the Filipino cooperative organizations and public charities. Before coming to WOCCU, Kitsch was president of Sarasota Municipal Employees CU in Florida. In her new position at Filene, Executive Director Bob Hoel said Kitsch will help CUs and credit union support organizations "move creative ideas generated by Filene from the research arena into the marketplace."