Credit Union Directors Shouldn't Have to Fit into Categories

In his Nov. 2 column, editor-in-chief Paul Gentile paints with a very broad brush, so to speak, when he says it’s a “business problem of credit unions being predominantly run by older, white males.” He seems to conclude that if all boards are made up of a certain percentage of each `group’ in its membership (i.e., women, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, New Guinea pygmies, blondes, handicapped, etc., etc., etc.), then all will be better in the credit union industry. I disagree. Common sense tells me that it would also be impossible to have representation from each `group’ on a credit union board. Do you think that women are only able to represent `womanly’ interests? What about the poor? Should I be poor myself in order to offer them products and services that will help them move up the economic ladder? I’m a white male (and yes, older to some!) and I try to market to all people that are eligible to join our not-for-profit financial cooperative that’s owned by its members. I don’t care if you are a bus rider or a car rider! It makes no difference to me. We want to serve any member that is eligible to join! Come on Paul, you can do better than this. Brian A. Dever Manager/CEO PIAS Credit Union Nashville, Tenn.