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Committee Nominations

Tuesday October 15, 2024 at 5:30pm in the Main Branch, Meridian Location.

 

1st Mississippi FCU Board of Director Elections – Fall 2024

The Nominating Committee of 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union has nominated three candidates for Board of Director positions.

Nominations of the Nominating Committee, October 17, 2023

In accordance with Article V, Option A2 of the Credit Union’s Bylaws, as amended, we the Nominating Committee, hereby recommend that the following individuals be elected to serve on the Board of Directors to fill 3 year terms from 2023-2026

  1. Kimmea Spears
  2. Daniel Hastings
  3. David Stephens
  4. Jimmie Smith

*Denotes Incumbent


Respectfully submitted,
Ann Davis, Nominating Committee Chair

This year’s Board Director Candidates are:

Clayton Cobler
Mrs. Kimmea Spears
Mrs. Kimmea Spears - A native of Meridian, Mrs. Spears is a graduate of Meridian High School, Meridian Community College and Mississippi State University. Kimmea has been married to Michael 0. Spears for 22 years. She has one daughter, a son-in­law, identical twin granddaughters and one grandson as well as, a son who is a 7th grader at Saint Patrick School. Mrs. Spears is a licensed Social Worker employed with the Meridian Housing Authority as a Service Coordinator for the ROSS Program (Resident Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency.) Kimmea is an active member of Freedom Rock Christian Fellowship Church and an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority where she serves as Chair for Educational Development and is active in social action efforts. Kimmea serves her community by volunteering with several organizations including the Girl Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Club, Love's Kitchen, Freedom Cares, Carver Middle School and Saint Patrick School. Mrs. Spears has served with the 1st MS Board of Directors for two years as an Associate Director and more recently on the Supervisory Committee and now seeks to be elected as a voting member of the Board.

Stanley Shannon
Daniel Hastings
Daniel Hastings, lives and works in Clarke County. He is the owner of Hastings Tax & Business Services in Quitman, Hasting Tax & Business Services offers, payroll services, bookkeeping, tax liability reporting, tax return preparation and general office support for several local companies. Daniel has 24 years' experience in a business office setting and customer service. Daniel enjoys learning about the different aspects in the business and financial world. He likes to take a more causal business approach while maintaining a professional attitude. He believes in being a good listener to others' needs and concerns and most of all helping people. Daniel has served on the 1st Mississippi Supervisory Committee for almost 3 years. During this time, he enjoyed getting to know other members who serve 1st Mississippi while learning more about the credit union. Daniel is honored for the opportunity to serve on the 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union Board as a voting member.

Terry Winstead
David Stephens
David Stephens is a longtime member of the 1 st Mississippi Federal Credit Union and is currently serving as Chairman of the 1st MS Credit Union's Supervisory Committee. David is married to Rose Joe Stephens and is the father of seven adult children and eight grandchildren. David has previously served as a Board Member and Chairman of the Board for the 1st MS FCU organization. He is and has been a promoter and cheerleader of the Credit Union Movement since becoming a member. David has many years of leadership in the manufacturing workforce, at Peavey Electronics Corporation Inc. and Vanzyverden Inc. as well as leadership in a variety of volunteer organizations. David's service ranges from the Meridian Arts Council, State Games of Mississippi board, The Knights of Columbus, the Meridian Planning Commission, Knights of Peter Claver to the Jackson State Alumni Association and many more. David is honored for the opportunity to serve 1st Mississippi FCU in a new voting capacity.

Mrs. Kimmea Spears
Jimmie Smith
Jimmie Smith was born in Chicago on June 29th, 1952. Smith moved to Meridian as a teenager. Shortly after his arrival in Meridian, Smith worked for years in area hospitals. Later, he joined the Meridian Police Department where he worked in various divisions including the SWAT Team. Smith then served for 20 years on the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors also serving as Chairman of that board. Smith is past Chairman of 1st Mississippi FCU Board of Directors and of MCCSA (Multi County Community Services Agency) and is a Board Member of the Greater Meridian Health Clinic, Inc. Jimmie is Past President of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors and the Mississippi Association of Black Supervisors. He is listed in the Who's Who in Government Service and has 10 years' experience in Law Enforcement. Jimmie Smith was elected by the citizens of Meridian as Mayor in July 2021, he became only the second African American mayor of Meridian, a town with a population that is over 60 percent Black. Mayor Smith pledges to serve with humbleness, spirit, heart, strength and wisdom of the mind.

Eligibility Requirements

The FCU Act and the FCU Bylaws contain the only eligibility requirements for membership on a federal credit union’s board of directors, which are as follows: (a) The individual must be a member of the FCU before distribution of ballots; (b) the individual cannot have been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust unless the NCUA Board has waived the prohibition for the conviction; and (c) the individual meets the minimum age requirement of at least 18 years of age by the date of the meeting (October 17, 2023). Anyone meeting the three eligibility requirements may run for a seat on the board of directors if properly nominated. It is the nominating committee's duty to ascertain that all nominated candidates, including those nominated by petition, meet the eligibility requirements.

Nomination Criteria for Nominating Committee

The FCU Act and the FCU Bylaws allow a board of directors to establish reasonable criteria, in addition to the eligibility requirements, for a nominating committee to follow in making its nominations, such as financial experience, years of membership, or conflict of interest provisions. The board's nomination criteria, however, applies only to individuals nominated by the nominating committee; they cannot be imposed on individuals who meet the eligibility requirements and are properly nominated by petition.

Nominations by Petition

Nominations for board of director vacancies may also be made by petition signed by 1% of the credit union membership. 1% of our credit union’s membership would be 96 members using the number of current members filed with the National Credit Union Association as of March 31, 2023 (9,624). The format of the petition must include: (a) the year of the election, (b) the member’s name printed, (c) the member’s signature, (d) the member’s account number and (e) the date signed by the member. Failure to properly complete and timely file will nullify the petition.

The election will not be conducted by ballot and there will be no nominations from the floor when the number of nominees equals the number of positions to be filled.

Nominations by petition must be accompanied by a signed certificate from the nominee or nominees stating that they are agreeable to nomination and will serve if elected to office. Each nominee by petition must submit a similar statement of qualifications and biographical data with the petition. The closing date for receiving nominations by petition is August 15th, 2023. The petition must be filed with the secretary of 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union at the following address:

Kim Johnson, Secretary of 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union
PO Box 561
Meridian, MS 39302-0561