I have been in leadership roles in credit unions, regional banks and the global credit card company Visa Inc. Throughout, my roles I was recognized for increasing profitability and customer satisfaction by leading significant business change, from organizational and business process transformation to leadership development, employee engagement and satisfaction. I began my career in branch management and operations for a regional New England bank. I grew the mortgage lending division of a northern California credit union by developing loan products, pricing, underwriting and servicing. At Visa, I transformed the customer organization into a proactive team of consultant-advocates that produced more than $350 million in sales and cost savings. In addition, I led strategic projects for Brand Marketing, Human Resources, and IT.
I was raised in Connecticut, lived in San Francisco, and settled in New Mexico in 2007. I have a BA from Yale University, where I played Division One basketball and volleyball. I have an MBA from the University of San Francisco. My volunteer work includes the Yale Club of New Mexico, Wings for LIFE International, Kitchen Angels, and Animal Humane NM. I enjoy skiing, hiking, and exploring the galleries, restaurants and small towns of New Mexico.
Why are you seeking election to the Board of Directors? My affinity for credit unions began when I started working for Provident Credit Union in California. I became a member and am still active almost 30 years later. My experience was so positive, I joined First Financial and Kirtland Federal credit unions here in New Mexico. Throughout my career at Visa, I worked closely with the largest US banks and saw first-hand the contrast between their business models versus credit unions. Bank stock prices and quarterly earnings reports drove every decision, and often those decisions did not serve their customers. But the credit union member-owned business model requires timely, tailored and relevant solutions, and demands accountability to member-stakeholders as well. I believe my skills and experience can help the Board and First Financial achieve the goal of delivering unique and creative access methods to services that best support and grow the membership. I've been fortunate to have worked in both banks and credit unions and understand firsthand the competitive advantage and potential that credit unions have over regional and national banks. As an owner and stakeholder, I want to do my part.
What do you feel is the most important duty of a director? Out of curiosity, I researched the origin of Boards of Directors. Established to ensure governance of companies on behalf of shareholders, Boards can be traced back to English merchants in the Fourteenth Century in response to increasing business growth and complexity. In the 1600s companies began selling stock, and over time a distinction arose between the customer of the company and its shareholder, and along the way public companies began to prioritize satisfying shareholders over customers. Anyone who's banked with a large global bank knows how that feels. Credit unions operate under an association business model in which every member by definition is a shareholder too. That means credit unions are only successful when they meet the needs of their customers, their members/shareholders. Your satisfaction is essential for credit union success. Is that true of banks?
First Financial‘s success demands it continue to be relevant and provide unique value to its members. For the Board to meet its responsibility to you, the stakeholders, each Director's most important duty is to set the strategic direction based on the needs of its members, and then ensure through governance and guidance that the company succeeds. |