Western CUNA Management School
| Company type | Educational institution |
|---|---|
| Industry | Credit union education and training |
| Founded | June 1959 |
| Founder | Carl A. Bowman, Charles R. Stark, Robert W. Wells, Dwight J. Brohard, Charles M. Clark, John Clevenger, John Bigger |
| Headquarters | Claremont , United States |
Area served | Western United States (thirteen states within CUNA District Four) |
Key people | Charles M. Clark (founding director), Clarence Murphy (ex officio member) |
| Products | Credit union leadership and management education |
The Western CUNA Management School (WCMS) is a credit union leadership training institution located in the United States. It is supported by thirteen credit union leagues from western states within the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and collaborates with Pomona College in Claremont, California. Founded in June 1959, WCMS caters to credit union professionals affiliated with CUNA's District Four. The original founding group comprised Carl A. Bowman, Charles R. Stark, Robert W. Wells, Dwight J. Brohard, Charles M. Clark (who served as school director), John Clevenger, and John Bigger, with Clarence Murphy participating as an ex officio member.
History
In 1958, the California Credit Union League (CCUL) tasked its managing director, Clarence Murphy, with investigating the establishment of a school modeled after CUNA’s University of Wisconsin program to support credit unions in District Four. Leadership for the initiative was provided by Carl A. Bowman and Charles R. Stark, who organized the CUNA District 4 School for Credit Union Personnel and established a governing committee. The school commenced operations on August 12, 1960, in partnership with the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), enrolling 42 students who became the class of 1962.
During the late 1960s, WCMS encountered difficulties with UCLA related to inconsistent faculty involvement and insufficient educational resources essential for expansion. Consequently, on August 14, 1972, WCMS moved its operations to Pomona College in Claremont, California—a location it continues to occupy. This transition marked a shift from earlier commendations by Charles Clark regarding UCLA’s coordinators contributing positively to WCMS’s stature.
Acknowledging its broadened scope beyond District Four, the institution was renamed Western Regional CUNA School in 1980 and subsequently Western CUNA Management School in 1981 to highlight its service across thirteen Western states and its development into a full-scale management education program for credit union professionals.
Greek alphabet class names
In 1981, the sizeable first-year cohort was split into two groups called "Alpha" and "Beta," initiating the custom of assigning Greek alphabet letters as class names. Once all Greek letters have been used, the sequence recommences; notably, a second "Alpha" class graduated in 2003.
References
- Western CUNA Management School (2011). "An Interview Conducted with Dr. James Likens", WCMS – 1972 and Beyond
- Western CUNA Management School (2011). "The UCLA Years", WCMS a History from 1960 to 1980