Ascend Federal Credit Union announced that longtime board member Anthony Taylor was inducted into the African American Credit Union Hall of Fame at a ceremony held on March 5.
The African American Credit Union Hall of Fame, established by the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC), acknowledges individuals for their contributions to advancing the credit union movement, particularly in providing financial services and facilitating access to financial capital for African Americans and people of color. The AACUC is a nonprofit created to increase the strength of the global credit union community through professional development and advocacy.
Taylor was inducted along with four other credit union leaders during the ceremony, which was held as part of the Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C., at the Organization of American States (OAS) building.
“It’s a great privilege to be inducted into the African American Credit Union Hall of Fame along with my fellow 2024 honorees,” said Taylor. “I’m gratified to see the credit union industry’s continued forward momentum in matters of diversity and inclusion, and I remain committed to doing my part to ensure Ascend continues to play a vital role in the financial lives of our members.”
In 2003, Taylor became the first African American appointed to Ascend Federal Credit Union’s Board Development Committee. Since then, he has been instrumental in propelling growth in the credit union’s assets and members, transforming it into Middle Tennessee’s largest credit union and one of the largest in the state. In 2021, Taylor was named Volunteer of the Year by the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) for his contributions within the industry.
Over his more than 20-year tenure on Ascend’s board, Taylor has held various leadership roles, including chairman from 2017 to 2020, vice chairman from 2014 to 2017 and treasurer from 2013 to 2014. He also served as a member of the board’s supervisory committee from 2004 to 2012 and from 2020 to the present.
“All of us at Ascend congratulate Anthony on this well-deserved honor,” said Matt Jernigan, president and CEO of Ascend Federal Credit Union. “Over his tenure as an Ascend board member, he’s played a major role not only in making sure our board’s diversity reflects that of our members, but elevating our credit union’s profile across Tennessee. We’re grateful for his ongoing impact on Ascend’s success.”
The National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions named Ascend the 2015 Federal Credit Union of the Year while Taylor was vice chairman. During his time as chairman, Ascend was named a “Best Credit Union to Work For” by the Credit Union Journal for three consecutive years. Taylor holds a B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University and a J.D. from the Nashville School of Law.
Mr. Taylor is featured on the far left with the other Hall of Fame inductees.
About Ascend Federal Credit Union
With more than 236,000 members and more than $4.1 billion in assets, Ascend Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union in Middle Tennessee and one of the largest federally chartered credit unions in the United States. Based in Tullahoma, Tenn., the member-owned financial institution offers banking, loan, retirement and investment services from its 27 branches, more than 55,000 free ATMs worldwide, online banking portal, and mobile app. The credit union’s mission is to serve by offering financial literacy education and giving back to its community in a variety of ways. Ascend is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information, visit ascend.org.
