The White House has honored John Herrera, co-founder of the $128million Latino Community Credit Union in Durham, N.C., as an ImmigrantInnovator Champion of Change.

The Champions event on May 29 highlighted immigrant innovatorsand entrepreneurs who are helping create American jobs, grow theeconomy and make it more competitive.

“LCCU has been built on a strong, cooperative communityspirit, turning member savings into opportunities to purchase andbuild homes, establish local businesses, and to meet the financialneeds of their community,” Herrera said.

“This recognition reaffirms our collective,entrepreneurial vision of creating a financial institution for ourimmigrant community that is culturally adept and provides economicopportunity for all in North Carolina,” he said.

Herrera was recognized for fostering entrepreneurship andgreater economic opportunities for Latino families in NorthCarolina. In the mid-1990s Herrera began working to help curbthe violence against unbanked Latino populations in Durham.

A native of Costa Rica, John Herrera is currently vice presidentof Latino/Hispanic Affairs for Self-Help Services, a family ofnonprofit organizations whose mission is to create and protectownership and economic opportunity for all.

His grassroots work with state and local leaders, communityadvocates, and the credit union community ultimately resulted inhis co-founding of the Latino Community Credit Union 2000.

Since then, LCCU has become the largest Latino-focused creditunion in the country with 55,000 member-owners and 11 branchesacross the state. LCCU provides a range of affordable andinnovative products and education typically unavailable tolow-income immigrants and has become a trusted and safe place forLatinos to save money, access affordable credit, buy homes, startbusinesses, and build wealth for the future, the credit unionsaid.

“Immigrants have long made America more prosperous andinnovative, and the Champions we are celebrating today representthe very best in leadership, entrepreneurship, and public service,”said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park. “We are proudto recognize these leaders who work every day to grow our economy,advance science and technology, and support their homecommunities.”

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity tofeature groups of Americans – individuals, businesses andorganizations – who are doing extraordinary things to empower andinspire members of their communities, the White Housesaid.