CEO, CFO, president, vice president. These are all just titles. Yes, the job responsibilities may be more far-reaching than others, but no one person in an organization is better than another. All team members can contribute and positively affect the credit union’s goals or bottom line. What is more important than a title is accepting accountability, giving back, interacting with and empowering your teams, and leading with humility. Those are traits of a successful leader who earns the title and role they are in.
In 2000, when I became CEO of Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, my motivation was the people who work here and our members. I wanted to help create an organization that gave back and truly supported the Phoenix community while encouraging employees to grow and build on their strengths. I didn’t set out initially to pursue a career in the financial services industry, but I got hooked when I began working at Bethpage Federal Credit Union and realized that a credit union’s focus is often different from large banks. When I joined Desert Schools FCU, I wanted to build on and strengthen the sense of community and culture—one that is rooted in philanthropic efforts and places high value on employees.
I have a personal responsibility—and the way I see it, Desert Schools FCU has a corporate obligation—to give back, and this gives me purpose. Thankfully, I have the opportunity both individually and through my work to help our members, my team and the community every day. For me, philanthropy is a building block of leadership, and investing in what I value and care about has proven to be an asset to my career and Desert Schools FCU’s overall success.
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