Senior professional with over twenty years of progressively responsible experience in the fields of microfinance and microenterprise, with an emphasis on credit union development.  Former European Coordinator for the World Council of Credit Unions, managing credit union development projects and supporting nascent movements throughout Eastern Europe.  Responsibilities included analysis of potential working environments and determination of most appropriate circumstances for credit union establishment and growth; assistance in establishing legislation and regulations; environmental analyses and planning with credit unions and credit union leagues: creating business plans; assessing training needs and designing training programs; developing policies and procedures; assessment and control of risk associated with microfinance; recruiting consultants.  Additional experience with development of support services to microenterprise, analysis of environmental and legislative conditions raising barriers or enabling growth of micro and small enterprise, development of programs to promote reform.  Extensive experience with project management and specifics of successful activity in CEEC/NIS.  Fluent in Ukrainian and proficient in Russian.

Professional History

Foundation for Russian American Enterprise Cooperation   ---   09/2002 - 12/2003
Consultant to Partnership between Flour Fed.  Credit Union in California and Primorskii Krai CU Association in Russian Far East.  Initiated and wrote winning proposal for USAID funded project implemented by FRAEC for strengthening capacity of credit unions to lend to small business.  Participated in research, wrote training materials, provided direct consulting and training to CUs.

World Bank/IFAD Georgian Agricultural Bank Projects Coordination Center   ---   1/2002 - 12/2002
Senior Credit Union Systems Advisor to the Georgian National Credit Union Development Center (CUDC): plan and implement effective program of technical assistance, supervision, and training for Georgian credit unions; assist CUDC in preparation and implementation of operating plan for credit union supervision, promotion, and financing.

World Education Inc.   ---   9/2001 - 8/2002
Consultant to national association on development and implementation of multi-level credit union member, board, management and staff training programs for Eurasia Foundation Partnership Grant with Ukrainian National Association of Savings and Credit Unions (UNASCU).

Winrock International   ---   8/2001 - 9/2001
Addressed National Conference of Women's Associations in Uzbekistan in support of credit union legislation; presented seminars on credit unions in regions of Uzbekistan; conducted training seminars and strategic planning with members of operating credit unions in Uzbekistan.  Assisted credit union in Navoi with creation of savings mobilization strategy and marketing.

Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union   ---   9/2001 - 10/2001
Consultant to SUAFCU for research and compilation of regulatory compliance policy with respect to federally mandated privacy reporting requirements: researched topic, presented report, wrote disclosure statements, developed long-term compliance strategy.

Associates in Rural Development, Inc.   ---   4/2001 - 7/2001
Co-conducted assessment of civil society and NGO activity in Ukraine and Moldova for USAID: interviewed donors, implementers and practitioners, conducted round table discussions, analyzed collected data, participated in writing and presentation of report results.  See publications list.

Winrock International   ---   9/2000 - 10/2000  and  02/2001
(1) Credit Union and CU Association Advisor for development and strengthening of credit union activity in Primorsky Krai, Russia.  Worked with clients on evaluation of economic environment, conducted strategic planning with credit union and Association board, developed growth strategy, including marketing of savings products tailored to member needs.  Provided follow-up guidance.  Additional assignments with Textile Workers Union and Merchant Marine Association, for analysis of operations and strategic planning.

(2) Consultant for several start-up groups interested in creating credit unions in the Sakhalin Oblast of Russia.  Organized training seminar, assisted in presentation, provided input on financial modeling and workplan development training program, assisted Business Training Center with development of ongoing program for creation of credit unions and an association.

IRIS - Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector - University of Maryland, Department of Economics
--- SME Development Advisor   ---   10/1998 - 11/2000
Deputy Chief of Party of two-year USAID funded SME Network Support Project for assessment and strengthening of SME support network, resident in Moscow, Russia.  Duties included evaluation of current status of business support institutions (BSIs) and regional business enabling environment and BSI services to SMEs, including economic, legal and political environment, and social conditions contributing to or limiting growth.  Participated in survey of 300 BSIs nationwide, and assisted in analysis of data, selection of ablest BSIs for further involvement in project and design of small grants program.  Assessed strengths and weaknesses of selected BSIs and planned training necessary for improvement of BSI network.  Developed program for creation of local voluntary associations of BSIs to interact with local government as change agents influencing reform.

Senior manager for IRIS of the Russia Entrepreneurial Business Service (EBS-SFE), responsible for supervisory, research and BSI development support components for a network of BSIs in Siberia and the Russian Far East.  Responsibilities included analysis of the market environment in which the BSIs work, development of market studies, assessment of training needs of BSIs.

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), Madison WI --- European Coordinator - USA   ---   8/1997 - 5/1998
Managed WOCCU European project activities, coordination with donors, in-country partner organizations and home office operations.  Conducted on-site assessment of potential project regions, leading teams in assessing legal, regulatory, political and socioeconomic potential for democratic societies, cooperative enterprise, savings and lending activities, and credit union development.  Coordinated preparation of project proposals, sought donor funding and implemented project activities.  Arranged for specialized consultancies in areas such as stabilization, deposit insurance, audit and supervision; reviewed resultant reports.  Conducted periodic assessments of project activities, reported regularly to USAID.  Coordinated activities with related cooperative financial service providers and donor organization to strengthen credit union movement and facilitate growth of credit unions.  Organized regional conferences of credit union leaders and professionals, with participation of microfinance activists.

--- Program Officer - Europe   ---   8/1994 - 8/1997
Supervisory and management responsibility for WOCCU credit union development projects in Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine, with a staff of 4-5 in each country.  Duties included recruitment of personnel and resolution of staff issues, monitoring of financial, administrative and management reports, maintaining contact with US and international credit union movements, and coordinating activities with various donor organizations.  Assessed training needs, designed training programs, assisted in development of educational materials.  Assisted credit union associations in development of national structures, conducted strategic planning sessions, guided planning process and development of policies and procedures for savings and lending activities; assisted in development of and introduction of monitoring program, including tracking of loan repayments and delinquency control, cash handling, financial risk management.  Consulted on development of internal measures to safeguard member and credit union assets, such as deposit insurance, stabilization programs, loan reserves and workout procedures.

Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union (SUAFCU), Chicago IL
--- Branch Manager   ---   6/1989 - 7/1994
Managed operations of largest full-service branch of SUAFCU, including teller area, lending department, member services and drive-up window.  Evaluated growth and service needs of branch, coordinated with parish Advisory Committee and main office.  Developed target marketing for credit union branch members, with emphasis on attraction and services to younger membership.  Branch served 20% of 8000-member credit union: individual and business accounts.

--- Director, Member Services Department   ---   4/1980 - 3/1989
Supervision and development of member services department for credit union.  Developed member surveys for assessment of product and service needs.  Assisted in development of credit union member services and savings products.  Designed applications, disclosure statements, monitoring programs and reporting forms.  Worked with computer programming firm in designing product to track activity in all share savings instruments and generate reports to members and the Internal Revenue Service.  Assisted in production of policy manuals for employees, member services and lending departments.  Created public relations and marketing materials for credit union.  Edited and facilitated publication of credit union member newsletter.

Related Activities/Consultancies

Micro Finance Centre, Warsaw, Poland --- Freelance instructor   ---   02/2003
Consultant on development of credit union specific curriculum for Centre's clients.  Responsibilities include producing, administering and training staff to deliver workshop on credit union governance.

Baxter Credit Union, Northbrook, IL --- Advisor, International Division   ---   6/1998 - 9/1998
Conducted research and design methodology for Baxter Credit Union to provide credit union services to employees of Baxter Laboratories and its international subsidiaries.

Triad Software, Des Plaines, IL --- Consultant, Training Development   ---   1/1989 - 6/1991
Wrote instructional material for credit union operations manuals and on- line software.  Assisted in developing various aspects of member services and lending-related processing software offered by Triad to its client credit unions.

Education/Professional Certification

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology   ---   5/1968
Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Certified Credit Union Executive   ---   10/1988
University of Wisconsin, Madison WI

CUNA Management School   ---   7/1988
Three year certificate program in credit union management.  University of Wisconsin, Madison WI

Languages
Ukrainian - near native
Russian - fluent comprehension, reading; speaking proficient.

Countries of Professional Experience
Actively and extensively involved in management of projects in Russia (Western, Siberia and Far East), Ukraine, Lithuania, and Latvia; engaged in assessment, consulting or related activities in Poland, Moldova, Bulgaria, Republic of Georgia, Uzbekistan and Malawi; worked with projects in Romania, Macedonia and Belarus.

Publications, Professional Reports:
(1) Credit Unions: Sustainable Co-operative Financial Organizations in Emerging Democracies   The World of Cooperative Enterprise, Plunkett Foundation, 1998.
(2) Numerous articles published in Ukrainian newspapers and magazines.
(3) USAID Regional Mission for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova: Assessment of Non-governmental and Civil Society Organizations in Ukraine and Moldova   (co-authored with Melanie C.  Peyser and Mark G. Levinson).
(4) Entrepreneurial Lending Practices: US and Russia, a Comparative Analysis   draft copy Nov.  2003; Foundation for Russian American Enterprise Cooperation (FRAEC) Partnership Project, in cooperation with Michael Pardon, CEO Capstone FCU.  

Contact Information:

Theodora Turula
Morton Grove, Illinois,  USA
E-mail contact:   .  
Address, phone, fax, and cellphone available by e-mail.

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