Local Professionals from Utica & Rome Inducted Into Hall of Fame

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Geno Gizzi Credit Union Association of New York’s 2010 Hall of Fame Inductee

ALBANY, NY (06/16/2010)(readMedia)-- Utica resident Gregory DeVito and Rome resident Geno Gizzi were two of five individuals inducted into the Credit Union Association of New York's Hall of Fame at their annual Convention held recently in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Hall of Fame honors are awarded to individuals who have devoted their lives to the philosophy and success of the credit union movement, and have had a significant impact on credit unions at the local, state or national level.

DeVito has been part of Special Metals Federal Credit Union since its inception in 1961. While working for Special Metals Corporation, DeVito found time to be the credit union's part-time manager. When he retired, DeVito took on the manager role full-time. In 2007, he retired from the credit union, but has continued serving on its board of directors.

Under DeVito's leadership, the credit union grew from an actual broom closet with just a handful of members to 1,500 members. He did this by building trust with each and every member and always making time for a member in need. Whether it was closing loans by hand in the mall food court during a company strike, or providing financial guidance to members going through challenging times, DeVito was always there for the membership.

According to Jaime Pecorello, current manager of the Special Metals Federal Credit Union, "Gregory has been an integral part of each and every aspect that has made the credit union the full-service institution it is today."

Gizzi started his credit union career as manager of Rome Federal Credit Union some 40 years ago. Since then, he has devoted much of his life to promoting and living the philosophy of credit unions. Gizzi's contributions include mentoring young credit union leaders, serving as a trustee and treasurer for CULAC/CUPAC, the Association's Political Action Committee, and as a Utica-Rome Chapter council member for over 30 years (12 as council president).

Fundraising golf tournaments are a specialty of Gizzi's. In addition to co-chairing the annual Utica-Rome Chapter golf tournament to benefit charities such as the New York Credit Union Foundation, Gizzi has also chaired more than 40 CULAC/CUPAC golf tournaments.

Gizzi's commitment to the credit union philosophy of "people helping people" extends to his community efforts as well. He is an active participant in the area's annual Heart Run and Walk and sponsors an annual Christmas party whereby canned goods and funds are collected for local food banks, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Gizzi's leadership and involvement is a major factor for the success of the Utica-Rome Chapter.

"Both Gregory and Geno have been and continue to be active participants at their respective credit unions," said William J. Mellin, president and CEO of the Association. "Their dedication throughout their combined 89 years of service has had a positive impact on credit unions both locally and throughout the state."

Special Metals Federal Credit Union was chartered in 1961. As of Dec. 31, 2009, the credit union had over $12 million in assets and nearly 1,500 members. For more information about Special Metals FCU, please visit www.specialmetalsfcu.com.

Rome Federal Credit Union was chartered in 1936. As of Dec. 31, 2009, the credit union had over $13 million in assets and nearly 1,800 members. For more information about Rome FCU, please visit www.romefcu.com.

The Utica-Rome Chapter of the Association is made up of 15 credit unions that serve over 200,000 members. Together, they have assets over $1.5 billion.

The Credit Union Association of New York has served as the trade association for the state's credit unions for 93 years. New York credit unions have assets of more than $50 billion and 4.4 million members. To learn more about the Association, visit www.cuany.org.

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