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Bruce Ingraham of Beacon CU to be Inducted into Cooperative Hall of Fame
INDIANAPOLIS — Bruce Ingraham, who recently retired as president of Beacon Credit Union, in Wabash, has been selected as Indiana’s Cooperative Hero of the Year by the Indiana Cooperative Development Center. He will be inducted into the group’s Cooperative Hall of Fame on Nov. 9. The Cooperative Hall of Fame recognizes cooperators who have made an impact through their leadership or in their community service.
Ingraham worked for the credit union since 1980, when it was called Wabash County Farm Bureau Credit Union, and had $38 million in assets. Today, Beacon CU’s assets total $961 million and it serves more than 46,000 members. Under Ingraham’s leadership, the credit union has developed a reputation for efficient operations, community service and being a top market leader in dividend rates. During his tenure at the credit union, Ingraham lead Beacon CU to another notable accomplishment, as it is the top credit union agricultural lender in the United States. Prior to Beacon Credit Union, Ingraham was a Loan Officer with the Louisville Bank of Cooperatives serving cooperatives throughout Indiana.
According to Ingraham “Cooperatives represent a meaningful business structure enabling people to join together to provide products and services for themselves. I enjoyed a very rewarding career serving people and organizations in north central Indiana and with their financial needs through Beacon Credit Union. I am grateful to the Indiana Credit Union League for nominating me for such a prestigious honor and to the Indiana Cooperative Development Center for selecting me as Indiana’s Cooperative Hero of the Year.”
In addition to his work at the credit union, Ingraham is a cooperator at other levels as well. He served on several committees of the Indiana Credit Union League, the statewide trade association for credit unions. He is a member of the Indiana Credit Union Hall of Fame, and he has received the League’s Professional Achievement Award. He was a longtime board member and past president of the Cooperative Financial Association, a network of Indiana credit unions. He currently serves on the board of directors of American Share Insurance, the nation’s largest provider of private share insurance for credit unions, and is a past board member of that organization’s Excess Share Insurance (ESI) division.
He also served as a board member for the Mid America Cooperative Council. And, he was a board member and served on the supervisory committee at INDICORP, a corporate credit union. In the mid-1980s, Ingraham was a member of the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions Board. In addition, he is the recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash for his service to the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions.
His service to the Wabash community includes serving as president of the Honeywell Foundation; treasurer of the Wabash County Fair Association; membership in the Kiwanis Club of Wabash, where he is a past president; and serving as a board member for Whites Residential & Family Services.