Top-Level Takeaways

• Advancial FCU encourages employees to help shape policies, perks, and priorities.
• Recognition fuels purpose and retention and reminds employees why their work matters.
• Systems of accountability, with multiple feedback mechanisms, builds culture.

Advancial Federal Credit Union ($2.4B, Dallas, TX) believes success starts from the inside.

“There’s no way you can deliver amazing service to members if you’re delivering bad service internally,” says president and CEO Brent Sheffield. “We’ve got to have the same standards for both.”

The Texas cooperative wants members and employees leaving credit union interactions wanting to tell someone about it. Extraordinary gestures aren’t required. Listening, empathy, and responsiveness are enough.

Over the years, Advancial has turned this philosophy into something it can measure and celebrate, fueling innovation, employee engagement, and a memorable member experience.

An Owner Mindset

Sheffield says a key part of Advancial’s company culture comes down to an owner mindset, where employees feel invested in the credit union and contribute accordingly.

“By having owners, we make sure everyone lives the culture,” Sheffield says. “But part of being an owner is you get a say in what’s happening.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, senior leadership took a page from the Shark Tank playbook and put together an initiative inviting ideas from all levels of the organization.

“We called it ‘Think Tank,'” Sheffield says. “We broke everyone into random teams, so employees got to know people they don’t normally work with. We gave them one of four categories to think about how we can wow our employees or how we can wow our members.”

One of the most notable suggestions was a timeshare-style vacation home employees can use on their own or with their families. Today, the credit union has two — one on the beaches of Florida and another in the mountains of Colorado.

Advancial also introduced a suggestion box program called Bright Ideas. The credit union shares submissions with subject matter experts who review the ideas, provide feedback, and determine what’s feasible. The credit union’s President’s Circle, composed of the year’s top-performing team members, also weigh in on employee feedback.

“I share the ideas we approved during our all-employees meetings,” Sheffield says. “From there, we move them into our project list for implementation. It’s a great way to give visibility to people’s ideas, give them credit for coming up with things.”

Rate The Experience

Perhaps the most significant tool Advancial uses to encourage and recognize employee excellence is a simple survey program in which respondents can rate service interactions by providing a happy face or sad face regarding three basic statements:

1. They showed me respect with their professional, friendly, and positive attitude while assisting me.
2. They showed sincere interest and cooperation in understanding my request and helping me.
3. They resolved/completed my request and made it easy for me.

For example, if marketing requests a report from finance or if operations helps a branch solve a problem, the person receiving the service can evaluate that experience. Members can do the same based on their own external interactions with credit union personnel.

If the experience rises above satisfactory to truly exceptional, participants can flag the interaction as such and provide a written explanation detailing how the employee went above and beyond and why the experience exceeded expectations. These responses remain anonymous to everyone except senior leadership.

The surveys feed into a broader peer recognition program that allows employees to recognize coworkers by awarding points that can be redeemed for gift cards, cash, or items like Bluetooth speakers and TVs.

Momentum Requires Effort

Today, Sheffield hosts monthly all-staff meetings to encourage transparency and communication. Sometimes, that means being frank about what isn’t working or going well, the CEO says, although he remains intentional about praising exceptional stories as often as he can. For example, a couple of H-1B visa members recently sent edible arrangements to the staff that assisted them.

“When you have a certain culture and hold people accountable, when people own it, it makes a difference,” Sheffield says.

What works today might not work tomorrow. Expectations change just as strategic priorities do. That’s why Advancial treats its approach to culture as an evolving, ongoing initiative rather than a static playbook.

“The effort is constant, it’s ongoing,” Sheffield says. “That allows us to improve incrementally. That’s our way forward.”

The member experience starts well before the member arrives. Gallup research confirms that emotionally connected employees deliver interactions that build trust and drive lasting engagement. The Member Engagement & Financial Wellbeing Consortium, developed by Callahan and Gallup, helps credit unions activate that internal shift from the inside out. Learn more.

The post When Employees Own Culture, Service Follows appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

That’s because his old man, Mike Valentine, is the longtime (and soon-to-be retired) CEO at BCU ($6.5B, Vernon Hills, IL). Dave followed in his father’s footsteps and today serves as chief lending and experience officer at Consumers Credit Union ($4.6B, Lake Forest, IL).

In this special Father’s Day Q&A, the duo reflects on their relationship, their careers, lessons they’ve learned from each other, and more.

Dave, what did you think about your dad’s job and the industry as you were growing up? Did you always want to follow in Mike’s footsteps and join the industry?

Dave Valentine: He’s been at BCU longer than I’ve been alive, so it’s always been a part of my life. There was no “work dad” or “home dad,” it all melded together. He’s the same dude at the office that he is at home. Seeing how much he enjoyed what he does, how much he genuinely cares about people, it didn’t seem like a job at times. I thought, maybe I need to do something like that.

I had the opportunity to work part time in the summer from when I was 16 all the way through college, so for the better part of about six years I was working different jobs at BCU. I thought it was pretty neat.

Mike, what advice did you give to Dave as he entered credit union leadership?

Mike Valentine: When he got out of school he went to Wells Fargo. That’s probably the best thing he could have done because he found out what not to do. He learned a lot about financial services, but then he said maybe there’s something to this credit union stuff.

If there’s any advice I gave, it was to give it a shot and talk to some people, so he talked to a couple of different credit unions and business partners.

Whenever we would talk, it was usually about golf and the [Chicago] Cubs and Bears. Now, Dave’s talking about work stuff, and I’ve got to pay attention. It’s kind of made it a different world for us because we have that in common.

Was there a point when you both started to feel like colleagues as well as father and son?

MV: In this big crazy market we’re in, our headquarters are literally two miles from each other, but I see Dave more on the weekends than at work. If there’s a conference we see each other, but Dave usually won’t say “Dad,” he’ll say “Mike.”

As he’s moved into senior leadership positions, we really have become colleagues. I ask him for advice on a number of things, especially my upcoming retirement. He’s in our market and he’s observant, so it’s neat because I feel like he really has my back.

DV: As I said, he’s been doing this longer than I’ve been alive, and there’s a lot of wisdom there that I constantly learn from. I’d say it’s more me receiving than giving, but I think there’s been some more give in the past few years, given how Consumers has grown as an organization and the added responsibilities I’ve been fortunate to get here.

How much do you talk about credit unions when you’re together outside of work? What’s the credit union topic that comes up the most?

DV: We’ll average it out to say about half the time. It’s part of the normal talk track when you’re talking with anyone — how are things going with your job, what’s new, etc. It’s just that he and I can go super deep on the topic. We both want to continuously learn, so if there’s a hot topic or organizational changes, that propels us into deeper conversation.

MV: I agree, it kind of ebbs and flows with what’s happening in the market. Talent kind of moves back and forth [from Consumers to BCU and vice versa], but I’ll get all over my team about what David tells me they’re doing over at  Consumers, and within 15 minutes of the staff meeting he’s getting a text about it because everybody at our place knows him.

Are there areas where you disagree, whether that’s on leadership approaches, how aggressively to embrace AI, or something else?

MV: I’m slower with some of the newer things out there, and you could throw AI into that. Dave has a strong marketing sense to him. It’s interesting listening to him because sometimes I just don’t understand it. A lot of times I don’t disagree; I just don’t get it. But Dave knows about things, so I bug him to tell me what he means by something, and we pitch that back and forth.

DV: I have such a passion for the people who work here and the people who report directly to me, and I know he does as well. I want to be there for him. I want to support him. It’s that kind of leadership from the heart that’s something we definitely both have.

What are some of the toughest professional questions you’ve turned to each other for advice on?

DV: For me, it’s when I’ve been presented with opportunities as we’ve either grown and scaled or just needed to make some changes. Often it’s talking about how I’m observing the situation and thinking about approaching it, either with business strategy or org design. He’s been through a lot of things I haven’t, so that helps me make better decisions.

MV: As I was going through thoughts of retirement and succession planning, David was a fantastic sounding board for me. I almost call it a switch to him mentoring me and seeing people differently than I did. That was probably one of the more helpful things for me as I was marching down that lane for the past couple of years.

Dave, what’s the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned from Mike?

DV: It sounds simple, but be yourself. People can suss out if you’re being inauthentic, so really lead from the heart. Take the work seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously. There’s zero difference between the person he is at home and the person he is at work. That made me understand why people enjoy working with him and want to partner with him.

You’ve got to do it your own way, but I think that’s where I saw how I can be effective. You can’t compartmentalize yourself. It’s a much better balance to just generally be the same person at home and at work.

Conversely, Mike, are there leadership lessons you’ve learned from Dave?

MV: I’m at 100,000 feet most of my life at work and rarely can I get down from there, but one of the things I’ve watched with David is his ability to get to 10,000 feet, 5,000 feet, and rise. A lot of people can’t do that. They’re either micromanaging or they’re where I am. At this point in his career, it’s so important that he do that, and one of the things I’ve watched is his ability to connect with people. It’s rare to see somebody under 40 who pays that much attention.

I have a quote that I love: “Listen to understand versus listening to respond.” Dave’s not listening to respond. He’s truly taking in the information and processing it. He may go with your thought or he may not, but you know he’s listening.

For both of you, what’s something you’ve learned from each other recently that changed your thinking?

DV: For me, watching his retirement process has been interesting because there’s really awesome stuff that he’s built over there. The board and the team at BCU have such admiration for him, and he runs the credit union so well. I’ve seen him step back and say, “This is a good time to allow someone to come in and take the reins.” That, to me, is true selflessness to the organization and putting ego aside.

Top that, Mike.

MV: Sometimes I’ll see Dave doing things at Consumers that we haven’t tried, and I’ll wonder why the heck we aren’t doing that. Dave has had some success in the mortgage business with outside LOS, and now we’ve got four or five people we’ve hired doing that. In other words, I’ve heard about it, seen it, and did something about it during the past year because of conversations with Dave.

We can talk about Dave and me, father and son, but the best thing you can have is a support system. You’ve got to be all in in this business, and if you do it right, you’re going to do it well. Every time we get together there’s a credit union topic that comes up. And it’s fun. Maybe it’s a little bit too much, but it’s great.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Do you have your own credit union family history?. We want to hear about it! Email editor@creditunions.com and fill us in, and we might feature your story CreditUnions.com.

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If there’s one person who knows the history at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union ($36.7B, Tustin, CA), it’s Marina Miller. More than 40 years ago, when it was still known as Orange County Teachers Credit Union, she inquired about a summer job before college. She’s been there ever since.

Although opportunities just kept showing up, Miller says it’s the culture that has kept her there.

“We make a difference for the community members we serve, and serving the educational community is so impactful,” she says. “This is where I belong and where I can do the best work.”

For more than a decade, Miller has served as SchoolsFirst FCU’s vice president of history and culture, a job that connects her to the credit union’s roots and helps her educate others on where the credit union came from and where it’s going.

What is your elevator pitch when someone asks what you do?

Marina Miller: I’m responsible for ensuring our culture stays alive and our values are embedded into everything we do. I also get to work on finding ways to show appreciation for our team, so recognitions, rewards, and celebrations are hosted in my area. We know that if we take care of the team, they will take care of the members. That’s been our secret sauce.

We’re 92 years strong at this point. It’s important we understand where we came from so we know where we’re going. In our new corporate office, we dedicated a room to display the rich history and legacy of our credit union. We start with the beginning of the credit union movement and walk through the years of how SchoolsFirst FCU — then known as Orange County Teachers Credit Union — was formed and who our founding fathers were. We have wonderful pictures and artifacts built out in the space. It is an experience. All of our new hires go through it to understand where we’ve come from and what we’ve done.

What’s the story behind your title?

MM: Rudy Hanley was the CEO here for 32 years, and when he retired, he said the one thing that kept him up at night was wondering what was going to happen with the culture of the credit union. He led with a member-service focus, and that’s what we’re here for.

We took a lot of time trying to figure out the best way to keep our culture alive. He felt it was important to create a position, which is the position I’m in now, to preserve the history and culture for the credit union, and he felt I would be the person who could lead it. What an honor to have your CEO approach you and say, “I want to make sure our culture stays alive and that our history is always at the forefront, and I want you to lead that.”

It was an opportunity I could never say no to. I was flattered, and I hope I’ve made him proud. We’ve really grown the role, and it’s been infused into everything we do.

What makes your role interesting?

MM: To take our history and make it interesting and relevant to today in different ways has been exciting. I also lead the meeting and event technology side of the house, so we’ve been able to lean into video and technology for some of the learning tech. The more new ways to get our history in front of our team, the better. Especially now that we serve the whole state of California, folks don’t always have an opportunity to visit and explore our history room.

What part of your role energizes you? Conversely, what part challenges you the most?

MM: We serve four different generations of a workforce, and not everybody wants to be taught, recognized and celebrated in the same way. Finding ways to make those connections is a challenge, but I view it as a fun opportunity to make an impact at different levels. Trying to figure out what motivates and keeps team members engaged is interesting — you think you understand it until you don’t, and then you have to pivot.

For our Dream Team conference, an annual event celebrating all 3,000 team members at once, we needed new ways to make connections. We used to do in-person conferences, but today it’s hard to do that, so we had to find new ways to make it more engaging. We came up with an app where we can have interactive activities during the conference for team members to join remotely. That’s been different because we’re going from in-person to virtual but still engaging team members and ensuring they’re able to participate.

Are there any misconceptions about your role?

MM: People think we’re the party people; we’re always just having fun. Little do they know there’s a lot of work that goes into everything we do because everything has to be curated for the special activity or event to ensure alignment and at the same time, stay on budget. We’re very resourceful, and we have to get super creative which can be a challenge when planning over 50 events each year. Team members might not know all the details it takes to make everything come together; they just experience it when it’s pushed through.

What is the No. 1 skill you need to do your job?

MM: A passion to serve.

Could someone from outside the credit union step into this role?

MM: I don’t think you need tenure to be successful in this role. I took the responsibility of this role to a level where I would want to make Rudy Hanley proud. Everything I do is documented — we have photos, videos, we have storyboards, we have printed material about our history. If someone really wanted to be successful in this role, they could learn about it and become engrossed in it. If they have that passion to serve, they’ll figure it out.

Clearly, it would be easier if you knew a little about the credit union’s history, but you can learn that. The right person who has passion and creativity can be successful.

How does your role contribute to the success of the credit union in ways people might not expect?

MM: I have a team of four direct reports, two of whom assist me with organizational events and meetings, a manager who primarily oversees a team of 10 who runs our Dream Team Orientation and Service University, and a fourth person who supports our media and event technology. Our success is the fact that we help tell the credit union’s story. We build a foundation for incoming team members and we help tell the story through technology.

How do you define success in your role?

MM: Through our team-engagement scores and member-engagement scores. They’re outstanding — they’re top class. We try to get the pulse of our team on how they’re feeling, how engaged they are, and we have team members openly share if they have issues or concerns through our annual team engagement survey. We have a great recognition platform that we lead and host — called the Pulse, funnily enough — and our team members tell us how we’re doing.

If your role didn’t exist, what would your credit union be missing?

MM: I don’t know if we’d have as much of a focus on and respect for the past. In the next decade, there’s going to be so many tenured people, with so many years of credit union history who will be retiring and leaving the credit union in the hands of those who come behind us. It will be interesting to see whether it will continue in that same manner.

Why do credit unions need this role?

MM: We need to realize where we came from; some of those humble beginnings and how we made an impact on the lives we serve. We can shape our future with our past if we understand this is where we came from, this is what sets us up for success, and if we continue on this path, we’ll continue to grow and thrive. That says a lot about who we are. It’s all of those member stories and the impact we make in the school districts and the way we give back to the communities we serve. We are definitely here to serve our members, not ourselves, and people need to understand that difference.

What should people know about your role that you haven’t addressed already?

MM: Our stories and impact we make to the communities we serve extend beyond our doors. Whenever we need to rally on the legislative front, we have a story to tell and we’re ready to put it out in front of them. It’s not just internal, it’s about how we continue to stay at the forefront when it comes to the political scene.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Member engagement begins with employee empowerment. SchoolsFirst FCU’s investment in culture, from onboarding experiences to recognition programs, reflects what Gallup research confirms: when employees feel connected to the mission, they deliver experiences that build emotional trust and drive member loyalty. The Member Engagement & Financial Wellbeing Consortium helps credit unions activate this internal shift from the inside out. Learn more.

The post What’s In A Name: Vice President Of History And Culture appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

The contact center at University Federal Credit Union ($4.2B, Austin, TX), splits approximately 65 employees between phone and digital channels. As part of the member service department, the contact center is evolving along with the larger institution.

“Our headcount depends on where the organization is with our digital and self-service tools,” says Becca Pike, director of member services. “We’re still building the foundation of our digital transformation, so our headcount is fairly consistent today with what it has been historically, although I see that shifting as we see what volumes come in through which channels.”

UFCU typically starts all contact center staff in the phone channel so they can build a solid understanding of the organization’s systems and its sales and service model. As employees build on that foundation, gain confidence, and learn to appreciate the empathy needed, they can then shift to digital channels.

Similarly, GreenState Credit Union ($11.2B, North Liberty, IA) splits its team of 60 between phone and digital channels, with the latter group focused on chat, email, and ITM service. The credit union serves more than 400,000 members across branches in three states; the contact center alone supports approximately 50,000 interactions each month.

Staffing is split roughly 60/40 based on where the growth is at any given time. If the credit union is deploying ITMs, for example, it’s likely to increased hiring on the digital side. If it has released new products and expects an influx of phone calls, it’s likely to staff up the call side.

To create pathways for advancement and avoid turnover, GreenState employs three levels of contact center specialists that take on higher-risk tasks — from credit card advances and mortgage and wire calls to eventually call monitoring, quality assurance, training, and more. And to reassure staff that AI and automation won’t be taking their jobs, GreenState is upskilling specialists for more complex needs beyond what is now level three.

“Our North Star is always going to be member experience and reducing friction, but our star right next to it is employee engagement,” says Amy Stevens, senior vice president of member experience.

Out west, Desert Financial Credit Union ($9.5B, Phoenix, AZ) has slightly more than 150 contact center employees to serve its more than 500,000 members. It divides that group into four different teams, including service — which is the largest group with the highest turnover — sales, digital, and member loyalty. That latter is focused on member retention.

Desert Financial expects the sales team to generate at least four times the monthly revenue of a branch salesperson, and the contact center drives approximately 60% of the credit union’s lending support. Christina Mijares, assistant vice president of the member engagement center, staffs for specific teams and says moving to a universal model would change staffing needs for the entire contact center.

Integration And Food For Thought

Contact center leaders often struggle to help their staff members feel they are a part of rather than apart from the rest of the organization.

GreenState runs a relatively lean team, and Stevens says she has “lots of champions embedded in business units” across the credit union, which ensures the executive leadership team knows what’s happening in the contact center.

Stevens’ team also has monthly liaison meetings with cards, marketing, collections, and other departments to understand what’s happening in those areas. That not only keeps the contact center up to date but also creates growth and integration opportunities for those employees. Executive leadership also listens to calls every month to get a sense of what members are reaching out about.

“Senior leadership gives a lot of shout outs to this team, and it wasn’t always this way,” Stevens says. “Contact centers can have a negative connotation, and we’ve been able to garner respect.”

At UFCU, Pike says there’s a clear understanding that the contact center is the intake for the credit union.

“We’re the place people go if and when a journey broke,” she says.

That requires a high level of awareness about what’s going on across the organization. If members reach out and the contact center doesn’t know what’s going on, that doesn’t instill a high level of confidence, the director says.

To mitigate that risk, contact center leaders regularly meet with staff in key departments. For example, they meet monthly with branch and payments leaders because service inquiries frequently relate to those departments.

Desert Financial’s quarterly “Food For Thought” sessions bring in senior leaders across different departments to eat lunch and observe the contact center to gain a better understanding of how their work affects the contact center.

“Doing that repetitively and being consistent about it has created more awareness,” Mijares says.

A quarterly contact center newsletter also helps keep the entire institution informed about what’s happening there, and Mijares makes sure to mix data with photos to deepen the connection to the center.

Building Culture

The cadence of contact center work is different from the branches or back office, where there are more opportunities for employes to chat and form relationships. Because the contact center has a much faster rhythm, Mijares says she’s intentional about building a culture that matches the rest of the organization yet support contact center requirements.

“You cannot overstate how critical that onboarding process is,” she says. “It’s uncomfortable for people to take a call, have no idea what it’s going to be, and be unprepared. The call center onboarding experience is a game changer. It’s make or break.”

Since staffing the contact center can often feel like running a complaint line, UFCU’s Pike says internal culture is important.

“All of us are in it together,” she says. “How we support one another — from phone reps to leadership — is a crucial part of how we’re empowered to solve issues.”

No matter how technology, consumer preferences, or regulatory agendas change, Stevens at GreenState says culture and a laser focus on the member-service mission is critical.

“As long as you have that, you can weather whatever changes you go through,” she says. “The people on the team need the mindset that we’re going to collect feedback, do something about the feedback, and improve on that while at the same time ensuring the member that their voice was heard.”

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Completed in 2021, the Texas cooperative’s headquarters is a monument to modern sustainability, with water capture and reuse, solar panels, and geothermal energy. The three-acre property offers 52% more square feet of space than the old HQ at a 90% reduced utility cost, using roughly the same amount of water as two families of four. The building has drawn enough interest to warrant its own website, offering a behind-the-scenes look at its design and performance, and the credit union regularly hosts tours for stakeholders, students, and community groups interested in sustainable development.

Credit Human’s 200,000-square-foot headquarters building spans 12 floors. It includes four levels of parking and supports 500 employees.

Two “living walls” of plants greet staff and visitors on the first and fifth floors of Credit Human's HQ. The credit union reclaimed most of the wood used in the building from buildings in San Antonio.

The building uses 97% less potable water than a typical commercial building. Tanks above and below ground can hold 140,000 gallons of rainwater, which the credit union filters and uses to flush toilets and irrigate.

Going Green From Construction To Culture

Sustainability is a key focus at Credit Human — the credit union has worked since 2019 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 81% — yet the catalyst for the new HQ came down to operations.

Before moving into its current building, Credit Human operated two corporate offices in San Antonio. Leadership needed a unified footprint and additional space as the organization grew, turning their sights toward downtown. After a lengthy search, it selected a new address: 1703 Broadway.

That location, however, wasn’t just about square footage. Credit Human developed the building in partnership with Silver Ventures as part of a broader Class A office complex known as the Broadway Office Development. The site sits adjacent to Pearl, a 23-acre mixed-use redevelopment built on the former Pearl Brewery site just north of downtown San Antonio, one of the city’s most visible examples of urban revitalization.

Public-sector collaboration played a key role in bringing the project to life. The City of San Antonio and Bexar County provided financial support for infrastructure improvements, including upgraded intersections, expanded sidewalks and bike lanes, new green spaces, and a public parking garage. Credit Human also partnered with the San Antonio River Authority to incorporate low-impact development strategies that filter and manage stormwater runoff before it reaches the San Antonio River.

Although the building boasts cutting-edge features, leaders emphasize that its innovation lies in the way its systems work together.

“The majority of the technologies that we have in this building are 10 years old or more,” says Francisco Manon, senior manager of support services at Credit Human. “But making multiple building systems work together under one coordinated design hadn’t been done to this degree in the region.”

That level of integration introduced real-world friction during construction. Manon and his team navigated challenges with city inspectors who were unfamiliar with some of the interconnected systems, and the project — like nearly everything else at the time — faced pandemic-related supply chain delays.

Yet the greatest obstacle wasn’t technical. According to Beth Keel, sustainability programs manager, the real work was in getting stakeholders to think differently.

“The biggest challenge was a cultural change rather than technical,” she says. “We needed to help stakeholders move from thinking ‘we’ve always done it this way’ to asking what’s possible.”

One person already on board with the new approach was CEO Steve Hennigan.

“This is something our CEO started talking about six years before we started designing or selecting a property,” Manon says. “He wanted to do whatever was theoretically possible in this building.”

When it came time to move employees into the building, the organization adopted a deliberate onboarding process to teach employees how to operate in their new workspace, from sorting trash, composting, and recycling to eliminating single-use plastics and even removing vending machines and soda.

Keel continues pushing that cultural shift with ongoing education.

“I do lunch and learns every quarter,” she says. “We bring in partners like CPS Energy or SARA, the San Antonio River Authority, to educate our staff not only on greenhouse gas emissions but also what’s possible for their own homes and communities.”

Manon echoed that employee engagement is essential. Sustainability investments won’t perform as designed if the people using the building don’t participate.

Sustainability Is Good Financial Sense

Operating green isn’t just good for the environment, it can benefit the balance sheet, too. The same systems that reduce emissions also reduce operating costs, which creates a path for more investment.

“We have proved that not only is it good for the environment, but it makes financial sense,” Manon says. “We created a revolving fund and reinvest all the savings we produce with these kinds of investments into more projects.”

Manon ties the approach to measurable targets and long-term planning. For example, Credit Human has an organizational goal to reduce its emissions based on previous buildings up to 75% by 2030.

The financial framing also shows up in projects beyond its own headquarters.

“We’re installing solar arrays even in the new financial health centers, which normally are leased space,” he says. “We know we’re going to recoup that investment in six to seven years.” Looking ahead, Credit Human is in the design phase of a 100-year-old building in New Orleans, where the credit union believes it can target net zero despite the complexity of renovating a historic structure.

A Continued Ripple Effect

In addition to encouraging lifestyle changes among its staff, Credit Human has rolled out eco-friendly products for members.

The cooperative has a sustainable home lending program focused on geothermal, solar, water, and other home upgrades and has helped match homeowners with trusted companies, which leaders describe as a “high point” borrowers point to. As Credit Human invests in sustainability, leaders argue that members are poised to benefit.

Closer to home, the impact of the headquarters extends beyond its walls. Since opening, the Financial Health Center at 1703 Broadway has recorded increased foot traffic, new member accounts, and deposit growth as well as helped expand community partnerships. The building also includes a community room available free of charge to local nonprofits, reinforcing its role as a shared resource within a rapidly developing corridor.

Ultimately, Credit Human’s headquarters is an example of sustainability as an operational strategy rather than a marketing move. The building’s specs are impressive, but the team’s most significant insights for other credit unions are more about execution:

1. Don’t cap ambition by designing to the minimum standard and build for integration.
2. Plan for a culture change and invest in employee engagement.
3. Frame the ROI like a long-term owner, not a short-term builder.

The post Credit Human Redefines ‘Green’ In The Heart Of Texas appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

For the past 20 years, Holy Rosary Credit Union ($487.1M, Rochester, NH) has operated a career and technical education (CTE) banking program at Spaulding High School through the Richard W. Creteau Regional Technology Center, pairing classroom instruction with an on‑campus branch. This year, enrollment is at full capacity. There’s even a waitlist.

But it wasn’t always that way.

The New Hampshire cooperative made some changes due to the impact of COVID. Because the program relies heavily on hands-on instruction, a staffing gap and lack of in-person instruction put its future at risk. Five years ago, Carlynne Pouliot, who was at the time assistant vice president of financial services, stepped in to rebuild the program. Today, it’s on firmer footing.

“It’s really evolved in the past four years,” Pouliot says. “This is our most successful year since the pandemic.”

According to Pouliot, who is now vice president of retail and business development, student feedback and a deeper relationship with school administration has helped strengthen the program. The biggest factor, however, was finding the right teacher.

“I have the best students,” says Kayleigh Erwin, who has run the program for two years. “Yes, they can be a little silly. Of course, they’re high schoolers, but they are still hardworking.”

Real World Experience Is The Differentiator

Sometimes, the best way to learn is by doing. HRCU’s flagship course is Banking & Financial Support Services, a year-long course that blends financial literacy with workforce development.

In the classroom, students cover personal finance topics such as budgeting, saving, and investing while also learning about banking regulations and working with members.

“The first month is learning cash handling, confidentiality, and our teller system,” Erwin says. “Even if they don’t go into banking, it’s usually their first customer service experience.”

The on-campus branch is open three days a week, and each student is assigned one shift per week as a part of their instruction. There, they handle real member transactions with the same systems tellers use in all HRCU branches. Additionally, students in the Hoy Rosary banking program have the opportunity to earn college credit.

“Students in the tech center can earn three free college credits, so this helps them save money,” Erwin says.

Last year, Erwin worked with Great Bay Community College, submitting her credentials and curriculum for approval. Now her class counts as ECON 225 Personal Finance (worth three credits).

Pouliot says this helps to further connect academics with real-world careers.

“Research shows students who earn college credits in high school are more likely to enroll, stay enrolled, and graduate,” she says.

Students in the year-long program can also earn a $750 scholarship from HRCU based on their performance.

Students who might not want to commit to a year-long class have the option to take Introduction to Banking. This eight-week feeder course for the main program covers the same personal finance topics but offers a more general overview of banking concepts and industry basics, such as the history of the credit union movement. The shorter format lowers the barrier to entry and has proved to be popular.

“It increased enrollment,” Pouliot says. “Next year we expect 20 students, split into two classes. We have already filled next year’s program.”

Student Growth. New Opportunities.

The program’s growth and popularity has enabled HRCU to offer an expanded extended learning opportunity (ELO) this year. This advanced, individualized experience is designed to allow select students to take full ownership of branch operations.

“One of our students this year will be an intern next year running the branch for a dedicated class period,” Pouliot says. “She’ll have a job description role responsibilities. We’re fully confident in her skills.”

Responsibilities include opening the branch, managing a cash drawer, and handling day-to-day operations on their own. The role also extends beyond the classroom, incorporating a paid internship component during both the school year and summer.

What sets the ELO apart is it’s fully self-directed.

“There is no curriculum,” Pouliot says. “We create a job description, they come into the role, and then they self-operate. They have to connect back to the ELO director about their training, their experiences, and the projects they’re working on.”

The credit union trusts these students to operate at a professional level, making this the highest tier of responsibility within the program and a direct bridge to workforce readiness. Moving forward, HRCU hopes to expand this offering to accommodate more students in the future.

Enrollment and participation are important success metrics for these courses, however HRCU also monitors branch usage, account openings, and how effective the program is as an opportunity to help students adapt into the career world.

In regard to that last item, the credit union has multiple success stories, including one from several years ago in which a former student stuck with banking and eventually returned to work at HRCU as its consumer lending manager. According to Pouliot, they remain in the industry to this day after moving to a different state.

More recently, a student who graduated from the program last year as a senior is now working full-time in the credit union’s main office.

“We also hired a part-time student from our program last year,” Pouliot says. “He’s in his junior year of high school, so he works with us every Saturday.”

Evolution Based On Student Voices

Perhaps the biggest reason the banking program is so popular is the fact that student feedback plays such a major role, not just in how HRCU structures classes but in how it approaches youth banking overall. This year, HRCU established an annual volunteer student focus group open to all students.

Pouliot says it’s been an invaluable resource.

“Every piece of data we’ve got from those focus groups we’ve put into play,” the VP says. “Now, marketing and I can present to our executive team about how we can restructure our teen accounts based on the feedback we’re receiving from those focus groups.”

Student insights support services, too, not just products. For example, students told HRCU they wanted to know more about budgeting, so the credit union is hosting a seminar on the subject in May just for them. Erwin says there’s a strong interest in how savings and credit work, and she receives several questions about how students can get the most out of their money. She also says students are a lot more engaged than some might think.

“There’s a misconception that students aren’t motivated, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she says. “They want to learn, attend college, and give back. They challenge themselves. They hold jobs while balancing CTE, clubs, and volunteer work. They are working.”

Hands-On And All-In

Pouliot says HRCU’s banking program relies heavily on participation from credit union leadership and strong integration with Spaulding High School and the surrounding community.

“Our board is hands-on,” she says. “We have our chair of the board, our vice chair of the board, and another board member who attend the focus groups. When we do donations at the school, the board comes.”

The credit union also hosts panels with employees from different departments so students can see different career paths that are available.

“We invite the business program, the marketing program, and our banking program,” Pouliot says. “It’s a well-rounded panel.”

The value of a strong relationship with school administrators also cannot be understated.

“Anytime we have challenges, we go to the school administration,” Pouliot says. “There’s a director of the CTE and she really helps us create our partnership. We work together as one big team.”

HRCU even attends open houses and orientations for incoming eighth graders, and credit union staff are regulars at events like fundraisers and sports games.

Concern for community is one of the industry’s cooperative principles, and it’s one HRCU emphasizes when working within the school. For example, after learning how many students rely on a local food pantry, the credit union and its student participants began making regular contributions, including organizing donations and physically helping stock it. Students also attend community events the credit union is involved in.

“They’re giving back to their peers, and they value it,” Pouliot says. “They embrace the community impact of the credit union, and that’s huge.”

Next-Gen Members. Next-Gen Relationships.

Early engagement can build relationships that last a lifetime. Callahan Webinars highlight real-world stories of credit unions that have turned youth programs into long-term member relationships. Explore the catalogue today.

Learn more about Callahan webinars

The post Inside An In-School Model That Links Classrooms With College And Careers appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Most people wouldn’t take a road trip without putting on their seatbelt first. Simone Suri wants credit unions to take the same approach with their AI journeys.

Suri is chief administrative officer and general counsel at Members Cooperative Credit Union ($1.2B, Duluth, MN). The cooperative started using artificial intelligence in earnest about a year ago, but leadership didn’t just hand over access and let staff loose. Rather, it grants access on a case-by-case basis to employees who request it. Employees with approval may use only the credit union’s licensed Microsoft Copilot, and they cannot submit member data into the tool.

“We don’t want people going to ChatGPT because we have no idea what’s going to happen to that data,” Suri says. “The idea is to use a tool where the data will remain safe. We want our data in a more controlled environment.”

Members Cooperative’s approach to AI revolves around a robust internal policy that provides guardrails for usage. That starts with a risk assessment and written documentation that details for all users when, where, and how they can use AI. Such documentation protects the credit union, staff, and members alike. Although most employees are excited about using AI, Suri says, most people don’t have a technology background. Having a policy like this in place is crucial for helping them understand the opportunities they can leverage as well as what to avoid.

“Anytime new technology and data is involved, we need to take a second and understand not only the benefits but also the risks and how we navigate those risks so we can get the benefits without compromising the security of our data,” Suri says. “This has to be a no-compromise situation.”

The Use Cases

Members Cooperative selected Copilot because of its security, data protections, and integration capabilities with the credit union’s existing tools, Suri says. Although the credit union does not allow member data in AI — which largely rules out use cases for member-facing staff — Suri says there are many ways AI drives back-office efficiencies. But even then, there are guardrails. Associates must disclose when they use AI, and human oversight is required, given AI’s propensity to make mistakes.

“You can’t assume everything coming out of an AI tool is like punching in two times two on a calculator and the answer is always four,” Suri says. “You need to look at results and validate them. We’ve had situations where information hasn’t been accurate. Most recently, I found that people like to put legal questions into AI. Again, you have to think about where AI is generating its answers. The information isn’t coming from an attorney on the other side of the wires answering your question. It’s pulling from all of these different databases, some of which are outdated or old or just might be illegitimate. At the same time, AI may be pulling from sources that are amazing and incredibly accurate, but you still need that human oversight.”

So what are the use cases at Members Cooperative? Like other credit unions, it is still figuring that out. But Suri says inputting existing policies into a licensed AI tool can help improve those policies, whether by making them more concise or uncovering gaps. Similarly, AI could conduct market research or even provide a starting point to draft an AI usage policy. One key, she notes, is the prompts that go into AI. The better the prompts, the better the outcomes.

“Each organization needs to figure out where its comfort level is,” she says. “Some studies have shown we’re not getting the efficiencies we think we’re getting.”

Best Practice: AI tools are everywhere — even Google’s first results are frequently an AI summary. Suri suggests closing off access to public AI sites on all credit union-owned computers. Doing so encourages employees to use credit union-licensed services and steers users away from potentially less secure tools. Plus, she adds, many credit unions are moving in that direction.

The Balancing Act

Suri acknowledges there’s a balancing act between empowering employees and exercising caution. The key, she says, is education. Leaders must ensure organizations are discussing the risks and advantages of AI, identifying use cases, and recognizing how those use cases might vary by department. What’s most important is to keep the conversation going.

“The biggest problem you’re seeing in credit union land today is we know AI is there and people are excited but not talking about how to use it safely,” she says. “Or we talk about a risk once and then not again for six months.”

Risk assessments and robust governance around AI can help alleviate the concern in departments like risk and IT, in part because that kind of documentation provides clear, objective guidance on do’s and don’ts.

“It allows you to recognize risks and contemplate what you’re willing to accept,” Suri says. “What risks are appropriate given the risk appetite of the credit union and which are not? Going through the process in a methodical way like a risk assessment makes it less personal. But you’ve got to have enough knowledge on both sides to have those tough conversations and work through those risks.”

In addition to clear standards for employees, Suri suggest examining all vendor contracts to better understand how those providers use AI. That can be a challenge, especially if the credit union’s point of contact does not have all the answers. If that’s the case, keep digging.

“You’ve got to ask questions about what type of AI tools your vendor is using, what data is going in, and identify associated risks, including compliance and operational risk,” she says. “Those are hard questions for a sales rep to answer, so you usually need to get other folks involved in those conversations.”

Suri adds that memorializing AI disclosure requirements in the contract can help the credit union if vendors change their practices later on.

“Third parties are a significant source of FI breaches,” she says. “If they start putting member data or other proprietary information into those tools, we’re vulnerable.”

The Lessons

Suri admits that even though Members Cooperative has a robust AI plan in place, it still has work to do.

“You could line up 10 employees, ask each one about their comfort level and what AI can do for them, and every single person will have a completely different answer,” she says.

But rather than pushing employees to use AI more, Suri says that varied level of comfort —  which is likely common at many credit unions — exemplifies the need for a thoughtful approach, including a risk assessment and well-formulated governance approach.

The big lesson might not be to shy away from AI, but to be thoughtful about how, when, and where it’s deployed — and always back up usage with human oversight.

“I’m finding more and more folks are getting comfortable with AI and pushing the boundaries, which is great,” Suri says. “It’s good to play with things and challenge yourself. But be cautious along that journey because we are seeing incorrect results. Not because AI has become less accurate, but because people are getting more comfortable and pushing the boundaries of what AI can provide.”

Dig Deeper Into Real-World AI Strategy

Looking for more credit union perspectives on AI? Callahan Webinars highlight peer insights on governance, guardrails, and practical use cases with live and on-demand sessions that explore how cooperatives are putting AI to work.

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The post Governance And Guardrails Help Credit Unions Navigate AI appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Langley Federal Credit Union ($5.BB, Newport New, VA) just received a 2026 Exceptional Workplace Award, recognizing organizations with the highest levels of employee engagement worldwide. Only 78 organizations earned it this year, representing roughly 4% of those evaluated. We are proud of that recognition. But the award is not the story. The story is about what it took to get there.

One year ago, Langley was already in the top 10% of all organizations measured for employee engagement. That is not a bad place to be. Most leaders would call that a win and move on. We did not. We asked a harder question: What would it take to be truly exceptional?

The answer was not another event. It was not a new perk or a bigger budget for employee appreciation. It was intentionality.

We got intentional about engagement the way you get intentional about any strategic priority. We named it. We trained for it. We measured it. We held our managers accountable for it. And we did not let it become a once-a-year survey exercise. We made it a daily practice.

Here is what that looked like in practice.

We started with purpose. Not a purpose statement written in the executive offices and handed down to the organization. We went to our people and we listened. What emerged from those conversations became the foundation of who we are: Investing in People for a Brighter Future. Those words did not come from a leadership retreat or a consulting firm. They came from the people who live them every day. That is not a small thing. When employees help define the purpose of an organization, they do not just understand it. They own it. And ownership is the beginning of engagement.

We invested in our managers. Managers are the single greatest driver of engagement in any organization. Not HR. Not the CEO. The direct manager. When an employee feels seen, supported, and developed, that experience almost always traces back to their relationship with their immediate leader. We trained our managers to have better conversations. Real ones. Not check-the-box one-on-ones, but genuine dialogue about what their people needed, what was getting in their way, and how they could grow.

We focused on communication. Not announcements. Communication. There is a difference. Announcements flow in one direction. Communication is a two-way exchange. We worked to create an environment where employees could speak up, provide input, and trust that their voices would be heard. That trust does not come from a suggestion box. It comes from consistent follow-through over time.

We measured what mattered. There is a phrase that has proven itself true in every high-performing organization: what you measure gets done. When we began tracking engagement at the team level and holding leaders responsible for those results, behavior changed. Not because we demanded it. Because leaders could see it, respond to it, and take ownership of it.

When you put all of that together, something shifts. And the data confirms it.

Research shows highly engaged organizations see 18% higher productivity, 78% lower absenteeism, and 21% lower turnover compared to their peers. They also generate 23% higher profitability. These are not soft numbers. They are bottom-line results that directly affect your ability to serve your customers, retain your talent, and sustain your mission.

For Langley, that mission is serving our members. Engaged employees deliver better member service because they care about their work. That connection between employee experience and member experience is not a theory. It is a pattern we see every day.

We have always been a great place to work. We celebrate our people. We invest in their development and their families. But being a great place to work and being an engaged workplace are not the same thing. Great workplaces keep people comfortable. Engaged workplaces keep people connected. Connected to purpose. Connected to one another. Connected to the people they serve.

That connection is what moved us from the top 10% to the top 2%.

If you lead an organization, here is the honest takeaway. You cannot “event” your way to engagement. You cannot celebrate your way there either. Engagement is built in the daily interactions between a manager and their team. It is built in cultures where feedback flows freely and accountability runs in both directions. It is built when leaders stop treating engagement as an annual survey and start treating it as a leadership responsibility.

And sometimes, it is built in the moment you hand the microphone to your people and actually listen to what they say.

That is how you build engagement. And that is how Investing in People for a Brighter Future became more than a tagline. It became the truth of who we are.

Langley Federal Credit Union is honored to be recognized as an exceptional workplace. We are more honored by what the journey taught us about our people and what is possible when you commit to leading them well.

Jerome Fowlkes is chief impact officer at Langley Federal Credit Union.

The post Engagement Is Not A Perk. It Is A Strategy. appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Top-Level Takeaways

• Technology increasingly shapes the employee experience, making closer alignment between IT and HR a strategic advantage.
• The chief people and technology officer role at Vantage West Credit Union reframes HR systems around employees, not administration.
• Organizational design should reflect talent, not tradition.

The path to head of human resources is rarely paved with a career in technology. Rob Hoyle is proud to be an exception.

After spending most of his career outside financial services, Hoyle found his way to the credit union industry in 2018, taking the role of chief information officer at Credit Union of America. He says he immediately identified with credit unions’ people-first mission.

“I am a leader who’s empathetic and wants to help people thrive,” Hoyle explains. “I’m a huge culture champion. I genuinely care about the success of the organization and the individuals that make up the team.”

Hoyle joined Vantage West Credit Union ($3.3B, Tucson, AZ) as its chief information officer in 2021and has served as the credit union’s chief people and technology officer since June 2025.

What’s the story behind your title?

RH: Our senior vice president of human resources was retiring, and I told the CEO I’d like to take a shot at human resources. I pointed to one of my first initiatives at Vantage West, which was introduce a management and employee engagement platform. There’s never really great collaboration between technology and HR. We spend so much time on the member experience through technology, we need to create a great team member experience, too.

How would you describe your job duties? What falls under the umbrella of technology and human resources at Vantage West?

RH: I’m so incredibly fortunate to lead teams that are highly engaged and full of tremendously skilled professionals.

On the technology side, it’s all of IT — information security, application development, data, systems, networks, all of that. On the human resources side, it includes traditional HR, organizational development, facilities, and physical security. I also have accountability for mergers and acquisitions. We’re not doing anything right now, but in terms of prospecting, diligence, and integration, I would lead that effort if something came across our desks.

When you interact with others in the industry, are there misconceptions about what your role means?

RH: I don’t think there are misconceptions so much as raised eyebrows. There’s a unicorn in my LinkedIn bio for a reason.

Even internally, people have asked, “Why would you give human resources to the technology leader?” I’m working on helping people understand that I’m not just the technology leader. I’m the chief people leader. I’m both. Every time it comes up, people stop, read it twice, and say, “Wait, what?”

From the application process onward, technology influences how people decide whether they want to work with you.

What part of your role energizes you the most? Conversely, what challenges you the most?

RH: The challenges are where the energy comes from. I enjoy solving problems and making things better. The biggest challenge has been learning everything HR entails. It’s far more complicated than people realize if they’ve never been behind that curtain. There are so many considerations for every decision.

That’s also what energizes me. Very few HR leaders have ever been customers of HR. I bring that perspective and ask why we do things in a certain way. Sometimes, I wonder if the team is thinking, “Here comes Rob with another crazy idea.” But they’ve been very receptive and open to either explaining or rethinking things.

What’s an experience or accomplishment that stands out as especially rewarding or meaningful to you?

RH: One of the most impactful things we’ve done since the role change is rethinking our organizational development philosophy. We used to be very prescriptive with specific programs, nomination processes, and assumptions about who should attend what. One of the first things I questioned was why. Why those programs? Why not more autonomy?

Now, for external professional development, leaders have a blank canvas. We focus on the people who need development and find opportunities that fit them. If someone’s in finance, maybe it’s a finance-specific training instead of a credit union one.

If everyone goes to the same training, everyone learns the same things. We’re looking for diversity of thought and experience and more meaningful development for individuals.

How do you define success in your role? Beyond metrics and formal accountability, what tells you you’re doing the job well?

RH: I feel successful when other people achieve their goals, whether that’s professional development or personal milestones. I love seeing someone graduate, earn a degree, or be recognized for something.

We recently migrated our phone system, and nothing went wrong. I didn’t touch a single keystroke. I sponsored it and was accountable for it, but the team owned it and executed it flawlessly. That’s success to me — having a team that can get things done and do it well. There’s no KPI for that. It’s a feeling.

Is there anything you’re particularly excited about or looking forward to in 2026?

RH: Every year, I bring my entire organization together for a half-day event. For years, the team asked for more involvement. We increased it a little each year.

Last year, we brought in Tucson Improv. We turned the involvement up to 11. Some of our team members aren’t the biggest fans of public speaking, so there were some very nervous faces, but it was universally well-received.

Engagement afterward was through the roof. Watching the team stretch, learn, come together, and have fun is incredibly fulfilling for me. So, what I’m most excited about in 2026 is figuring out how in the world I’m going to top that.

What would make you tell another credit union that a role like this — or at least deeper collaboration between technology and HR — is worth considering?

RH: Executive org charts should reflect the talent you have.

That said, there is tremendous value in understanding how technology shapes the employee experience. No one says, “I love working in my HRIS.” These systems are designed for HR departments, not employees. From the application process onward, technology influences how people decide whether they want to work with you. Are you asking them to fax something? Can your system read a résumé, or do they have to type everything in again?

Our people are our greatest asset. We need to equip them with every advantage possible, and many of those advantages are technology-based.

Too often, HR and technology operate in silos, sometimes speaking completely different languages. The goal is collaboration, understanding, and designing systems that make people’s lives better.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Job titles say as much about the organization as they do the person. “What’s In A Name” on CreditUnions.com dives into notable, important, interesting, or just plain fun roles to find out what’s happening at the ground level and across the industry. Read the series today.

The post What’s In A Name: Chief People And Technology Officer appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

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