June 20, 2013
TO NCUA:
I would like to provide a perspective to the NCUA complaint that Mr. Rudolph Frazier made against Arkansas Federal Credit Union. Being a then-current member of the AFCU Supervisory Committee, and the only African American volunteer, I have first-hand knowledge of his complaint. I was asked to watch all the correspondence of this complaint. Mr. Frazier’s initial complaint, dated 09 April 2013, dealt with his mistreatment by the mortgage department. He started his complaint alleging that he received disparaging treatment based on his race and that felt that ACFU could benefit from racial sensitivity training. I personally met with Mr. Frazier and questioned his contention of racial mistreatment. At the conclusion, I extended my apologizes on behalf of AFCU and asked him to not close his membership.
Firstly, this entire situation was entirely precipitated due to the mishandling of Mr. Frazier’s mortgage services as a member. That fact is not in dispute. He received unprofessional service that was further compounded by the CEO, Larry Bernake’s denial of Mr. Frazier basic access to the mortgage department. Instead of correcting obvious issue in mortgage department, he limited the member’s right. He denied Mr. Frazier access to mortgage services except through the CEO only. Mr. Frazier is a 20-year member in good standing without any prior incident with AFCU. The CEO’s remedy was to be Mr. Frazier’s “personal banker” to which Mr. Frazier did not agree. If he was not racially mistreated at this point the CEO attempt at resolution solidified this it in this members mind.
In the CEO and Mr. Frazier’s initial meeting an apology letter was agreed upon. Instead of correcting the issues in the mortgage department as promised and providing Mr. Frazier equal service, he was made to receive restricted service. I was appalled to see this African American member could not even call the mortgage department to make account inquires.
Mr. Frazier felt that he received unprofessional treatment by the white staff in the mortgage department. Afterwards, he received erroneous mortgage information from the CEO and continued limited loan information. These are the facts that precipitated his further complaints to NCUA and EEOC. 26 April, I personally met with Jonathan in Internal Auditing regarding Mr. Frazier’s complaint and questioned the characterization of his complaint.
How do you tell a member complaining over racial mistreatment that he can only access services through a “backdoor” process. Of course he would be upset. This is a fundamental lack of leadership and an inherent insensitivity to the needs of the minority membership.
501
ReFord
MSgt, USAF Retired