Supervisory Committee

Jason Hagiwara, Chair

Denise Yoshida, Vice Chair

Elton Kinoshita, Secretary

Gerald Nakashima

Phyllis Yamauchi

Have you heard of the Supervisory Committee of HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union? What is the Supervisory Committee and what does it do? "Supervisory Committees are the credit union edge in the age of Enron. The supervisory role in the member-owned, not for profit cooperative structure often translates into simply keeping the members' long term - as opposed to, possibly, shareholders' - short-term interests at heart."

The Committee is comprised of five voluntary credit union members annually appointed by the Board of Directors who have an important role in the operation of our credit union. The committee acts in an independent manner and is a direct link of communication for our members. The committee and the Internal Auditor undertake tasks that determine if the assets of the credit union are managed safely and soundly and the Board functions in a manner beneficial to the members. They also verify that management carries out the policies of the Board of Directors and complies with all applicable laws and government regulations.

The tasks of the committee are to:

• Ensure that the members' funds are safe and financial resources of the credit union are safeguarded.
• Hire an external auditor firm to conduct an annual audit. The audit requires an opinion to determine whether the financial statements present fairly the condition of the credit union. The auditor may also be contracted to perform other agreed-upon duties.
• Supervise the internal auditor staff with the coordination of the President and CEO.
• Conduct a members' verification audit at least once every two years. The audit is designed to help safeguard members' funds.
• Review management policies and procedures to determine if they follow board policies.
• Review operational procedures, review loans to officials, and is continually aware of the credit union's state of operations to assure internal controls and safe practices.
• Assist members if they believe there is a problem with their account.
  

The Committee works closely with the following people:

Internal Auditor - Reviews daily operations for proper internal controls. The Auditor is supervised by the Committee (for overall operational review) and the CEO (for daily operational review). The Auditor and staff also suggest alternative operational practices which would improve credit union efficiency and financial security.

External Auditor - Reviews, annually, the financial statements of the credit union for the purposes of providing an opinion as to the fairness of the information reported. Performs other agreed-upon procedures as determined by the Supervisory Committee.

How can members utilize the Committee to assist? Write to:

Supervisory Committee Chairman
P. O. Box 22792
Honolulu, HI 96823

Describe what you believe is the situation, how you believe the situation occurred, and provide a phone number or address. The Committee will only respond to questions about your credit union account or general operational procedures. Any problems with personnel should first be referred to a supervisor or manager. If your request is not satisfactorily handled and you still wish to seek assistance then write to the Committee.

References:

Volunteers Achievement Program (VAP): Board of Directors Duties and Responsibilities, Supervisory Committee Duties and Responsibilities, Auditing 1, Auditing 2. NAFCU - "A Guide to Credit Union Volunteering." National Credit Union Institute - "Supervisory Committee: Duties and Responsibilities." NCUA - "Supervisory Committee Handbook." The Federal Credit Union - "Credit Union Watchdogs," Sept/Oct 2003, pgs 31-32, 42.