Sunrise, FL—Dr. Dorothy J. Orr, chairperson of BrightStar Credit Union's board of directors, was honored as the 2007 Credit Union Executives Society (CUES) Director of the Year at a ceremony held December 2 during the CUES 2007 Directors Conference in Hawaii. Ben Freudenreich, director, BMI Federal Credit Union, Columbus, Ohio, and recipient of the 2006 CUES Director of the Year award, presented Orr with an engraved crystal trophy.

Accepting the award, Dr. Orr, who has served her board for more than 19 years and has held the position of chairperson since 1988, said, “I am deeply humbled for this recognition. Winning the award has little to do with me and everything to do with the progress that BrightStar Credit Union has made. I share this honor with my fellow volunteer credit union Board members, with our Supervisory Committee, with our staff, our members and with our CEO and president, Mr. Raffael Crockett." She added, "I will never forget how, as a new teacher starting out, BrightStar Credit Union reached out and showed me how I could be a part of a financial institution that helps others."

A strong advocate for education, Orr has held a variety of positions in teaching and school administration, including her 1999 appointment as Interim Superintendent of Schools for Broward County. She also volunteers her time on behalf of a variety of other educational and community causes.

Raffael Crockett, BrightStar’s president/CEO, noted that “Orr’s presence has been and continues to be extraordinary,” and pointed to her commitment and contributions to BrightStar and the community it serves. “Women who have been honored for greatness as often as Dr. Orr are an invaluable asset to our community,” said Crockett.

Dr. Orr holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida A&M University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Michigan, and a Doctorate of Education from Nova Southeastern University. As a champion of the credit union movement—and of BrightStar in particular—Orr speaks often and convincingly about the benefits of credit union membership. In fact, it is not unusual for her to visit the local Credit Union branch to educate members about the services available to them, and she annually “hikes the hill” in Washington, D.C. for the advancement of all credit unions.

The CUES Director of the Year award recognizes credit union board members who offer excellence in volunteerism; judging is based on leadership positions held at the credit union, contributions to other credit unions and credit union organizations, professional development, community service and credit union performance during the time the nominee has been on the board.

CUES is a Madison, Wisconsin-based independent membership association for credit union executives worldwide. Its mission is to advance the professional development of credit union CEOs, senior management and directors.

BrightStar Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative.  With a total of six branch locations in Broward County, BrightStar Credit Union offers a variety of financial services including checking and savings accounts, personal, home equity and mortgage loans, investments and insurance.  For more information, visit www.bscu.org.