Speakers

Mary Jo is the Vice President of Fundraising for the Burnsville Community Foundation.  She served as President in 2001, and has served on the Foundation Board since 1999.  Her love for community service and giving back is demonstrated by her many years in service to our community.  Such examples are:  the Heart of the City Steering Committee, the Architectural Design Committee, Founder and Director of The RAIR (a non-profit organization that taught kids how to give back), Party of the Parkway, Big Brother Big Sister program, and Girl Scouts of America Troop leader.  She has a passion for children and a hope that leading by example, will create good volunteer habits in youth that will be carried forward into their adult lives.

Mary Jo also serves on the Board of Directors for the Chameleon Theatre Circle.  She owns and operates ION Communications, Inc. an Apple Valley based telecommunications auditing and brokerage firm, and was the recipient of the Community Builders Award in Burnsville 2017.

Bill Raker is the President/CEO of Firefly Credit Union, a $1.3 Billion under management, 75,000-member financial cooperative headquartered in Burnsville serving the Greater Twin Cities Community.  His 20+ years as Firefly’s CEO boast many accomplishments including national credit union recognitions for lending, marketing and community service.   

Within the credit union industry Bill has served at the executive level on several regional and national committees and corporate boards, including the Credit Union National Association  Examination and Supervision Subcommittee, national Shared Branching Board Chair and the Minnesota Credit Union Network Board Chair.   

Locally Bill has served on a variety of boards and committees, including the Inver Hills Community College Foundation Board of Directors, the Dakota Electric Association Elections Commission, and the Burnsville/Eagan Community Television Board of Directors.  Bill is the former Chair of the Burnsville Chamber of Commerce and the Joint Telecommunications Commission. Bill serves on the board of Prepare+Prosper, a non-profit provider of tax filing and financial management services for the under-served in the Twin Cities.  He is a frequent guest on Access to Democracy, a locally-produced TV show, speaking on topics related to personal financial management.

Bill is the recipient of several noteworthy industry honors.  He was named to the World Council of Credit Unions International Executive Volunteer Corps for his industry efforts in Paraguay and Cambodia.  In 2009, Bill was awarded the Minnesota Credit Union Network’s Outstanding Credit Union Professional of the Year. In 2016 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Credit Union House in Washington, D.C. Most recently, he was named to the Credit Union Executives Society Hall of Fame for his career accomplishments and contributions to the credit union industry.

Bill and his wife, Wannapa, live in Eagan, MN.

 

Help At Your Door is a nonprofit organization serving seniors and individuals with disabilities across the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We provide Grocery Assistance, Home Support (chore help and repairs), and Transportation services. For the past thirty years, we have helped individuals maintain their independence and continue living in their homes.