Helen McIntyre was a prominent and active credit union figure, who held many key positions in the credit union movement.
Helen McIntyre was born in Harden, NSW and was educated at Goulburn High School. In 1965, Helen (known then as Mrs Helen O’Keefe) become the secretary-manager of the Stateworks Staff Credit Union (later the State Government Employees' Credit Union).
Interestingly, in Helen’s oral history interview with Richard Raxwothy on 16 May 1990 (held by Australian Mutuals History) she says that this was her first credit union position. But she also states in the interview that “my life changed because of credit unions”. And further she notes that “it was not just a job...it became a career [and] I had a mission in life”.
In 1966 Helen became the Secretary of the City of Sydney Chapter of the NSW Credit Union League. Helen took on more prominent roles in the credit union movement - including being appointed the first woman Director of the NSW Credit Union League in 1970 and later becoming the Vice-President of the Association of New South Wales Credit Unions Ltd in 1984. In 1985 Helen became the President of the Co-operative Federation of Australia.
In the 1993 Queen’s Birthday honours list Helen McIntyre was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia for services to the credit union movement. A well-deserved recognition of the contribution she had made to the credit union movement and mutuals sector.
