Chipley, FL (October , 2020) — Jan Page, President/CEO of Community South Credit Union (CSCU), has been awarded the 2019 LSCU Professional of the Year for Florida. The "Credit Union Professional of the Year" Award is awarded to an outstanding individual for his or her professional contributions to advance the credit union movement in their state and the nation.

Based in Chipley, Florida, Page has loyally served Community South as CEO since 2007. When she took on the role, the credit union had $43M in assets, and since then, her leadership has resulted in 300% growth. In July 2020 they reached the major landmark of $150M in assets with 3 branches and an operation center.

Page's first passion is the professional growth of her staff. She spends countless hours devoted to increasing team member engagement and enhancing their professional development.

Page also has a strong enthusiasm for helping her community. She stated, "My commitment to our neighbors in every county that we serve is to provide education and sound financial options to the underserved so they can experience the feeling of self-sufficiency."

Currently, Page serves on the board of the Credit Union Women Leadership Alliance, United Solutions Company, Gulf Coast Chapter of Credit Unions, and Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

The credit union has also been recognized year after year for marketing initiatives under Page's leadership. In partnership with their marketing firm, The Pod Advertising, Community South has been awarded national Diamond Awards from the Credit Union National Association for branding, product campaigns, and the launch of the new "Reel" Money Kids Club, as well as an Emmy^™ from the National Association of Television Arts & Sciences (Suncoast chapter).

Chipley, FL (October 9, 2020) — Community South Credit Union (CSCU) has been awarded a $557,000 grant from the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) to assist with providing mortgages for affordable housing. CDFIs are mission driven organizations that offer affordable financial products and services that meet the unique needs of economically underserved communities.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Treasury, "For a community to thrive economically it requires access to basic financial services, affordable credit, and investment capital. Yet historically, for low-income communities and individuals, that access has often been limited."¹

The CDFI Fund plays an important role in generating economic growth and opportunity by offering tailored resources and innovative programs that support economically disadvantaged communities. Each year, congress contributes to the CDFI Fund that awards grants to institutions that offer programs designed to serve the underserved.

This year, Community South applied for a grant because affordable housing in the community has been an issue for a long time and was worsened by Hurricane Michael. Three years ago, the credit union was awarded the same grant in order to offer affordable and reliable transportation to low income members.

"This is a huge opportunity for Community South. Our members and our community are going to benefit greatly from what we are going to be able to do with these funds. I look forward to seeing how these programs make our community stronger," said Community South South CEO, Jan Page.

Programs like these are part of why Community South earned the recognition for "Credit Union of the Year" from the League of Southeastern Credit Unions in 2018 and CEO Jan Page was named "Credit Union Professional of the Year" in 2020.

Chipley, FL (October 9, 2020) — Community South Credit Union (CSCU) was recently honored with a national "Category’s Best" Diamond Award for the all new "Reel" Money Kids Club branding from the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council, a national network of more than 1,200 professionals. Awards are given to recognize achievements in 35 categories ranging from product advertising to community events and beyond. Competition was fierce this year with 1,295 entries submitted from across the country.

"It's an honor to bring recognition to some of the best-of-the-best in credit union marketing and business development," said Amy McGraw, Diamond Awards Chair and VP Marketing/Chief Experience Officer at Tropical Financial CU.

CSCU won the highest recognition in the "Logo" category for its entry featuring Gil, the credit union's "Reel" Money Kids Club mascot. The Reel Money Kids Club was created to allow children to participate in their own account management and begin learning the value of good money habits while earning wooden nickels for making deposits, good grades, and celebrating birthdays. Club members are invited to quarterly parties where the nickels can be redeemed to play games or for prizes.

Community South CEO, Jan Page, said "Our members love being a part of something that provides a sense of belonging. We created the "Reel" Money Kids Club to be more than just an account; it’s a community for the younger generation where they can feel empowered and supported."