Nine credit union marketing professionals have become the first graduating class to earn the new Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive certification from the CUNA Marketing Management School in Madison, Wis.

CUNA said the certification means they have demonstrated their skills in a wide range of core competencies, including strategic marketing, public relations, retail marketing, advertising management, product and services roll-out, market research, persuasive communication, problem solving and leadership skills.

“It was a great experience watching our first group of credit union marketers earn the CUCME designation”, said Meghann Dawson, instruction design manager for the CUNA Marketing Management School.  “Their hard work and dedication to the coursework, class participation and testing made it clear that they are ready to make a huge impact in their marketing efforts at their credit union.”

The certification can be earned by attending all three years of CUNA Marketing Management School curriculum and successfully passing an exam at the end of each year.

As the CUCME is a new designation, MMS attendees who completed all three years before 2013 can earn their CUCME by attending a designation boot camp prior to CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference.

The first credit union marketing professionals to earn CUCME certification are:

• Michelle Broderick of the $170 million Cumberland County FCU in  Falmouth, Maine,
• Matt Brophy of the $842 million Seven Seventeen CU in Warren, Ohio,
• Janet Buckalew of the $143 million Pacific Crest FCU in Klamath Falls, Ore.,
• Maria Johnson of the $730 million Collins Community CU in Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
• Andrea Lepper of the $238 million Superior Choice CU in Superior, Wis.,
• Angela Meehan of the $125 million Park Side FCU in  Whitefish, Mont.,
• Karen Owens of the $398 million First CU in Chandler, Ariz.,
• Kathy Palumbo of the $340 million Capital Educators FCU in Meridian, Idaho, and,
• Lynn Roth of the $563 million DuTrac Community CU in Dubuque, Iowa.