Brightstar Credit Union Chairperson Dr. Dorothy Orr Receives Lifetime Acheivement Award

SUNRISE, Fla. - Oct. 30, 2013 - PRLog -- Dr. Dorothy J. Orr, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of BrightStar Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in South Florida, has received the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Broward Education Foundation (BEF).

"We are pleased that such an impressive group of alumni was nominated for the Hall of Fame," said BEF President and CEO Jorene Jameson. "Our judges had a tough time choosing from the overwhelming number of candidates we received. The response clearly showed us that a Hall of Fame program is needed to showcase the many successful graduates of Broward County Public Schools."

Dr. Orr has served on BrightStar’s Board of Directors for more than 24 years and has held the position of Chairperson for 25 years. Her leadership has been acknowledged with multiple accolades, including the National Credit Union Award and induction into the Credit Union Hall of Fame. She is a strong advocate for education and has held a variety of positions in teaching and school administration, culminating in her 1999 appointment as Superintendent of Schools for Broward County, a position she held until her retirement. Dr. Orr was appointed by the School Board as the first black female board member of the Broward Teachers Credit Union.

Established in 1983, the non-profit Broward Education Foundation (BEF) seeks private contributions to supplement the public funding schools receive. The Foundation raises support from the private sector and charitable foundations to provide post-secondary scholarships to college or trade-bound high school graduates who have exhausted all other sources of support, grants to support innovative curriculum in the classroom and free school supplies to teachers in Title I low-income schools through the Tools for Schools Broward center in Pompano Beach.

Recognized in the community for her unrelenting commitment to education, Dr. Orr is the recipient of numerous awards. In 2012, she received the JM Family African American Achievers Award from the Jim Moran Foundation for her outstanding community service. In 2010, she received the Broward County Pioneer Award by the Broward County Historical Commission, the Circle of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award by the Women’s Council of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and the 2010 Welfare of Children Award from the Broward County Council of the PTA/PTSA for demonstrating continuous exemplary support for children and education. In 1998, Dr. Orr was inducted in the Broward County Women’s Hall of Fame by the Broward County Women’s Coalition. Her dedication and commitment throughout the years has made a significant impact in the community, improving the lives of thousands of school-age children.

As a champion of the credit union movement, she speaks often about the benefits of credit union membership. It is not unusual for her to visit the local branch to educate members about the services available to them through the credit union, and she annually "hikes the hill" for the advancement of all credit unions. She is a well-known advocate to young adults in the black community about the importance of sound financial practices. Dr. Orr holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida A&M University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Michigan, and a Doctorate of Education from Nova Southeastern University. She is also an adjunct Professor at Florida Atlantic University.

BrightStar Credit Union is a full-service, non-profit, member-owned cooperative and one of the largest credit unions in South Florida.  BrightStar is open to the community—but also has specifically served employees and students of Broward Schools for more than 65 years. With a total of seven branch locations in Broward County, BrightStar offers a variety of financial services including checking and savings accounts, auto, home equity and mortgage loans and investments and insurance. For more information, visit www.bscu.org.