4 minutes
Last night at CEO/Executive Team Network in Scottsdale, Ariz., CUES honored its 2015 executive award winners and hall of famers.
(Photo at right: CUES Outstanding Chief Executive Gerry Agnes, CPA, CIE, is congratulated by CUES Chair Caroline Willard and CUES CEO John Pembroke.)
Gerry Agnes, CPA, CIE, president/CEO, $1.5 billion Elevations Credit Union, Boulder, Colo., was named the CUES Outstanding Chief Executive.
“There are 400 team members (at Elevations) and I’m here because of this team achievement we’ve been able to accomplish together,” Agnes said of winning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. "We’ve accomplished a lot but we’re not through."
The CUES Outstanding Chief Executive award recognizes leaders at the CEO level who display professional achievement, support employee motivation, and are dedicated to their community.
(Photo at right: Don DiMatteo celebrates his CUES Exceptional Leader award with Willard, EVP/markets and strategy for CO-OP Financial Services, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and Pembroke.)
Don DiMatteo, director of member experience, $1.6 billion State Department Federal Credit Union, Alexandria, Va., was honored as the CUES Exceptional Leader.
In accepting the award, DiMatteo thanked “everyone here, because what you do for our industry is invaluable” and his leadership team “for allowing me to be me.” Lastly, he thanked co-worker Veronica Trotta for nominating him for the CUES honor.
The CUES Exceptional Leader award goes to non-chief executive officers and acknowledges these decision-makers for their ambition, participation, and devotion to their credit union and the industry.
In addition, seven executives were inducted into the CUES Hall of Fame:
(Photo at right: Willard and Pembroke congratulate seven CUES Hall of Fame inductees: (from left) Raymond Lancaster; Susan C. Frank; Robert D. Ramirez, CCE, CIE; Jane G. Watkins; Patricia E. Smith, CSE; Garth Warner, and J. David Christenson)
J. David Christenson, president/CEO of $1 billion Connexus Credit Union, Wausau, Wis., who said, "It's a special journey as CEOs to be entrusted with something that's bigger than ourselves, bigger than our credit unions, about people helping people."
Susan C. Frank, CEO of $3.7 billion Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, Phoenix, who remarked, "You don't ever do this alone. It's about the people that you work with, the people that you serve. There's a lot of passion behind the work I do, a lot of heart and a lot of caring. It's just been a pleasure."
Raymond Lancaster, CEO of $137 million Pyramid Federal Credit Union, Tucson, Ariz., who thanked "the CUES Board and the CUES staff for everything you do for us every day" and recognized his management team.
Robert D. Ramirez, CCE, CIE, CEO of $1.5 billion Vantage West Credit Union, Tucson, Ariz., who shared a quote from John Wooden: "'Don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do.' I think of CUES when I hear that quote. CUES is involved in doing a lot of things right for our industry and they're not concerned about what they can't do; they're concerned about what they can do in terms of moving forward, transforming our industry to be a thriving industry."
Patricia E. Smith, CSE, president/CEO of $960 million Unitus Community Credit Union, Portland, Ore., who said "CUES has been a big part of my life over the years. It was meaningful in getting me inspired me to take on more responsibility over the years and also inspired me to be a CEO. The one thing I would say to you about CUES is it [has offered] the opportunity to network and have many friends here and throughout the country who have helped along the way."
Garth Warner, president/CEO of $14 billion Servus Credit Union, Edmonton, Alberta, who reflected that "credit unions are not like other businesses that you grow to sell for a profit. They're more like a family business and an intergenerational trust. For a very short period of time you have the honor and privilege to be the stewards of the credit union. My only ambition as CEO is to hand the credit union off in better shape than I found it."
Jane G. Watkins, president/CEO of $2.8 billion Virginia Credit Union, Richmond, Va., who noted that "You don't receive this kind of recognition without the support of a lot of people. I'm so blessed to have peers like you, a great community of credit union leaders that are always great supporters. All of us are driven with a passion for what we do. We may be small, but I hope we continue to be big in the hearts of our members."
The CUES Hall of Fame recognizes a lifetime of achievement and dedication to the credit union movement. These extraordinary leaders were chosen by CUES’ board of directors for their contributions to their profession and the industry; involvement in community service; and education and history of self-improvement.
who remarked, "You don't ever do this alone. It's about the people that you work with, the people that you serve. There's a lot of passion behind the work I do, a lot of heart and a lot of caring. It's just been a pleasure."
