Frank Chisholm, Director, Brand and Marketing, has been selected as one of two recipients for the Gary Gillam Award for 2022!
The Gary Gillam Award, jointly sponsored by Alterna Savings and Central 1 Credit Union (Central 1), recognizes and honours individuals within the Ontario and British Columbia credit union system who have made meaningful accomplishments in social responsibility and sustainability in credit unions or promoted credit unions as a Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) alternative.
Always eager to understand and promote member needs, Frank reached out to Kindred’s research partner, PMG Intelligence, to help conduct first-of-its-kind primary market research on member and market understanding, interest, and opinions about SRI. This was to better understand the ways in which Kindred can meet our members’ needs and help grow their awareness and understanding of what they might be missing out on.
Additionally, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Kindred wanted to put its purpose – Cooperative Banking that connects values and faith with finances, inspiring peaceful, just, and prosperous communities – into tangible action.
“We wanted to get something out quickly so we could meet the immediate needs,” said Ian Thomas, Kindred CEO. “Within 10 days, Frank had led a team to develop a variation of an existing product to support members in need: the Kindred Crisis Care GIC.”
By providing members an option to deposit money into an SRI-validated GIC at competitive interest rates, with Kindred allocating additional amounts to support local partners responding to the pandemic, the Kindred Crisis Care GIC allowed Kindred to extend financial support to more eligible members seeking financial assistance due to the pandemic.
Frank’s focus on SRI throughout his 15 years with Kindred has helped Kindred engage with our members more meaningfully and helped them invest with their values and faith.
A $2,500 donation will be made on Frank’s behalf to the charity he selected – House of Friendship. House of Friendship is a non-profit organization that provides food, housing, addiction treatment, and neighbourhood support to individuals and families.