First Harvest Credit Union just became the first credit union in Southern New Jersey to join the African-American Credit Union Coalition’s Eastern Regional Chapter. Chief Administrative Officer, Fawn D. Martin, MBA, PMP, has been named the AACUC’s Eastern Regional Chapter New Jersey Ambassador.
What’s the AACUC All About?
If you’re not familiar with the African-American Credit Union Coalition, here’s the quick rundown: It’s a nonprofit dedicated to making the credit union movement more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Think professional development, mentorship programs, education initiatives, and advocacy work — all aimed at creating real pathways for minority representation in the financial services industry. Basically, they’re doing the hard work of making sure leadership in credit unions actually reflects the communities they serve.
Why This Ambassador Role Matters
Fawn Martin’s new position as New Jersey Ambassador isn’t just a fancy title to add to her email signature. In this role, she’ll be actively working to advance the shared goals of First Harvest and the AACUC Eastern Regional Chapter — creating opportunities, building connections, and strengthening that cooperative spirit that’s supposed to be at the heart of credit unions in the first place.
Martin herself put it beautifully: “Leadership is not measured by a title. It is measured by the people you pour into, by pulling the ladder down for others along the way, and by the impact you make long after.” She added that she’s honored by the confidence both the AACUC and First Harvest have placed in her, and she’s committed to being “the bridge that connects people, ideas, resources, and opportunities.”
That’s the kind of leadership philosophy we can get behind.
More Than Just Talk
First Harvest President and CEO Mike Dinneen made it clear that this move is about walking the walk. “At First Harvest, we believe strong communities are built through opportunity, inclusion, and leadership,” he explained. The credit union sees both their AACUC membership and Martin’s ambassador appointment as concrete demonstrations of their commitment to developing diverse leaders, supporting professional growth, and making sure their team truly understands the diverse membership they’re serving.
In other words, this isn’t a checkbox exercise or a PR move. It’s about making sure the organization can actually deliver on its mission: providing accessible financial solutions that help real individuals and families achieve more. And you can’t do that effectively if your leadership doesn’t reflect — and understand — your community.
Southern New Jersey just got its first credit union to join the AACUC. Here’s hoping it won’t be the last.