I’ve never met another CXO who had the same make up of teams or areas of specialization, but we’re all driving toward the same output. What makes the practice of experience so beautiful is that it can be owned by so many leaders, across different areas of practice, including digital, service, technology, marketing … the list goes on and on.
Ami Iceman Haueter joined Michigan State University Federal Credit Union ($8.4B, East Lansing, MI) as its assistant vice president of research and digital experience in 2019. She stepped into the role of chief experience office in January 2025.
What has changed in member experience, what hasn’t, and how has its leadership matured at credit unions?
Ami Iceman Haueter: The criticality of the role remains the same; what “experience” includes is ever evolving. Roles like a chief experience officer serve a multitude of needs for institutions and can often be seen as the Swiss army knife of the credit union.
I’ve never met another CXO who had the same make up of teams or areas of specialization, but we’re all driving toward the same output, to create better experiences for our members, employees, and communities. What makes the practice of experience so beautiful is that it can be owned by so many leaders, across different areas of practice including, digital, service, technology, marketing … the list goes on and on.
The trick is to remain focused on the intention of the experiences you’re working to create to ensure productive outcomes.
How does your organization approach member experience, and where does dedicated MX leadership have the most impact today?
Ami Iceman Haueter: If no one is paying attention to how experiences are connected, curated, or created, you ultimately end up with a hodge podge of “almost there” work. I fundamentally believe experience design is everyone’s responsibility, but you need a leader or leaders to help create a clear vision and plan on how to execute.
In our organization, we focus on service experience, brand experience, and digital experience. Especially in the digital service space, having a focused leader or team ensures the ever-growing to-do list is maintained and prioritized for experience impact.
In today’s market, members have experience expectations before they ever walk in or log in. Our opportunity is to show them we won’t only meet those expectations but exceed them because we know them best.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Don’t stop here. Before she was a CXO, Ami Iceman Haueter tackled a new C-level role and a merged division to drive digital innovation at MSUFCU. Read more in “What’s In A Name: Chief Research And Digital Experience Officer.”
