The Annual Meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 17 at Seattle’s Museum of Flight. The meeting will officially begin at 7 pm, but members are invited to come at any time during that day to tour the museum for free. Appetizers will be available starting at 6 pm. Parking is free and plentiful.

Every member of GHCU has a voice and a vote, so please join us and share in the cooperative effort that is Group Health Credit Union!

In his 34 years as a geophysicist for Texaco, Richard Maywald lived just about everywhere: Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, even—occasionally—in the United States.

Energetic, highly adaptable and insatiably curious, Mr. Maywald has always been well-suited for a life outside his country of origin. He attributes his ease with living abroad to a pair of eccentric aunts who taught him there’s a lot of life beyond the family farm in Minnesota. “They were inquisitive and they loved to collect things. I inherited both of those qualities from my aunts,” says Mr. Maywald.

Indeed, Mr. Maywald’s house is full of beautiful objects gathered during his many years overseas: elegant bronzes cast by the Benin people of Nigeria and ancient ceramics from China are some of his favorite pieces. “I’m interested in art that has historical value. I enjoy the art more when I know how the work reflects the culture,” he says. Take the Nigerian bronzes, for example: not only does he appreciate the statues for their beauty, he takes the time to learn how the bronzes are cast and what the symbols etched on the figure represent.

The key to being successful in another culture, says Mr. Maywald, is conversation, taking the time to really listen, not just make idle chatter. “That’s how you learn about traditions and cultural rules. I always want to dive in and develop friendships among the indigenous people: I learn the culture, pick up some of the language.” His respectful curiosity has made him a welcome guest all over the world.

Seventy-eight years young, Mr. Maywald still travels, no doubt charming the natives everywhere he goes. In the last two years, he’s been to India and Romania, and he’s planning a month-long trip to Nicaragua in 2010.

When Mr. Maywald decided to “settle” in Washington State, a friend from Grinnell College days, now working for Group Health Cooperative, suggested he consider becoming a member of GHCU. In 2003, Mr. Maywald became a member of the credit union and now says he “wouldn’t trade it for anything.” For our part, the team at GHCU is very glad Mr. Maywald landed here.

If you want the best fried chicken in Seattle, there’s only one place to go: Ezell’s Famous Chicken. Just ask Oprah.

Growing up on a farm in Texas, Ezell didn’t have much, but he did inherit his parents’ belief in the value of hard work. In 1973, he joined the Coast Guard and was stationed in Seattle. “My first day here, I knew this was the place for me. I decided to bring really great chicken to Seattle.”

From the first restaurant in Seattle’s Central District in 1984 to the opening of the sixth Ezell’s in August 2009, Ezell’s Famous Chicken’s amazing growth comes from the energy of its namesake. When asked how many hours he works a week, he chuckles. “All of ‘em. Time keeps running, and I have to run along with it.”

A devout Christian, Ezell credits most of his success to a higher power. “I’m just following the path that was laid for me,” he says. “I couldn’t have done all this myself, but when you follow the path, the rest is easy.”

Anyone watching Ezell at work would not describe what he does as “easy.” Behind the counter, Ezell is a blur of activity, moving quickly between stations, cooking, cleaning, frequently with the phone cradled between his head and shoulder. With his deep voice and easy laugh, Ezell keeps up a constant patter, and diners see immediately how much he and his employees love what they do.

“They’re surprised to see the Ezell behind the counter,” he says. “I tell them, the same man who cooked for Oprah is cooking for you. That’s how important you are!”

Ezell’s strong belief in community service is part of the reason he’s been with GHCU since 1979. “I’m not driven by money,” he says. “Banks are. Their rules are all for making a profit for the shareholders. That’s why I prefer a credit union. For me, money is a tool I can learn to use to change the lives of people.”

If you’re in Seattle at mealtime, drop by an Ezell’s Famous Chicken. You may see the man himself behind the counter. If he’s not too busy, he might just tell you his Oprah story.