Bob Trunzo: 2024 Herb Wegner Memorial Award Winner
It is a rare leader that can shepherd an organization like TruStage to success year after year, winning numerous awards for business acumen, galvanize their employees to address some of the most complex and pressing social issues of our time and remain remarkably humble and undeniably human through it all. Bob Trunzo is just such a leader.
With his philosophy of “doing well by doing good,” Bob has been a role model, mentor, and friend for his employees, valued clients, and the entire credit union industry. The numerous causes he has championed and the individual lives he has changed make it difficult to imagine that we could sum him up in just a few paragraphs, but let this serve as just a sample of what one person can do for the good of all.
He has created a culture of inclusion at TruStage, which began simply by adding “Inclusion” to the organization’s values as one of his first acts as CEO. Among other notable achievements are the connections he and his team have made with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to create a pipeline for internships, the creation of thirteen Engagement Resource Groups and a Multicultural Center of Expertise to further advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the launching of the TruStage Ventures Discovery Fund, which helps support entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities. These efforts and many more speak volumes about Bob’s desire to be an ally to those who need him.
And that allyship has shown in his advocacy for credit unions throughout his career. He lobbied for increased funding for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), defended credit union’s Not-for-Profit status, and partnered with CUNA and NAFCU to support the NCUA’s new Field of Membership Rule.
Also under his leadership, TruStage has supported vital credit union organizations and initiatives, including CUNA’s Credit Union Awareness, the Foundation’s FinHealth Fund, and CUAid, WOCCU’s Bridge the Gap campaign and a partnership with Inclusiv to help Community Development Financial Institution credit unions access $12B in federal funding.
“Mr. Trunzo has led one of the great credit union institutions. CUNA Mutual, now TruStage, has been instrumental in the advancement of cooperative credit unions in the United States and abroad.” Maurice R. Smith, Retired CEO of Local Government and Civic Federal Credit Unions.
Indeed, Bob demonstrates the cooperative principles in all facets of his work and personal life. He and his wife Anne created the Trunzo Scholars Program at the University of Kentucky to support students pursuing internships in politics, government, law, or public policy and for students seeking to study abroad. During his time as CEO, TruStage partnered with the National Credit Union Foundation to create and offer “Exploring Why” workshops to educate credit union employees about the history, values, and power of credit unions to address today’s development issues. In addition, TruStage now hosts the Credit Union Development Education classes in its new Lighthouse building at no charge to the Foundation, and employees actively participate as attendees, mentors, and facilitators.
In the words of John Cassidy, Director of Credit Union System Relations at TruStage, “Bob is a leader who understands that if we don’t make brighter futures accessible to everyone, the entire community suffers.”
With the ethical, innovative, and compassionate leadership that Bob Trunzo has demonstrated throughout his career, we can all look forward to a brighter future together.
We are honored to present him with the Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement this year.
Visit https://www.ncuf.coop/foundationdinner to learn more about the Herb Wegner Award winners and register to attend the Foundation Dinner.