I worked at MSDFCU for 10 years. The history of the organization went back to 1950 but the only history that I was aware of was a 2 page “snippet” of major milestones created for the 25th anniversary. I decided that the history of MY credit union deserved to be remembered, and there were precious few people left who were a part of its founding and early years. I therefore took it upon myself to write it in as much detail as I could. I sifted through every annual report, every newsletter, went through the photo archives at Merck and Co. I interviewed a number of people who had memories going back close to the beginning.
I left the credit union in 2005 without completing the work, but a few years of being nettled by such a huge project being left half done I completed it in 2008. I also sent it to the Library of Congress to be copyrighted.
Although I gave out a few copies to credit union contacts I still had, Bill Gadd (featured prominently due to his years of volunteer service) was the only person that I know who read it because he sent me a letter complimenting me on the job I had done.
The satisfaction here comes not from the response to the project (or the lack of it), but the knowledge that I completed what I started and the fact that Merck and Co is and was such a diverse culture that in 1950 employees of all races and walks of life banded together at MSDFCU. That’s an important legacy that demands to be acknowledged and I did it.
It is featured here because it is more proof that I am a pony of many tricks not just one.