Democratic Party veteran John Kerry has been announced as keynote speaker for the Governmental Affairs Conference of US credit union leaders.
Hosted by the Credit Union National Association, the annual conference is the largest credit union advocacy event in the country, attracting more than 5,000 credit union leaders each year.
Mr Kerry’s political career saw him serve as Senator for Massachusetts for 28 years. After an unsuccessful run for the presidency against George W Bush in 2004, he chaired the Senate Small Business Committee from 2007-2009 and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 2009- 2013. He was secretary of state for the Barack Obama administration from 2013-2017.
A decorated lieutenant in the United States Navy, he returned from service in Vietnam with a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts.
He is credited for having played a key role in reaching the Paris Climate Accord and establishing diplomatic contact with Iran in 2013. He was also a member of the United States Congress Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction. He has written two best-selling books, A Call to Service: My Vision for a Better America and This Moment on Earth.
In 2004 he spoke against efforts to change federal income tax-exempt status for credit unions.
“Credit unions have a rich history of supporting Americans through financial education and grassroots community building,” said Mr Kerry. “Advocacy is a critical component in keeping that spirit of co-operation alive, and I’m thankful for this opportunity to lend my contribution.”
The conference takes place from 10-14 March 2019 in Washington. More information about the event is available on CUNA’s website.
