NextGen Leaders: Rachel Guyselman

Rachel Guyselman

Operations/Marketing Manager

$70 million Tongass Federal Credit Union

Ketchikan, Alaska

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Watch Rachel’s CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec video

Give us the elevator speech about your project (as in how would you describe your project to someone you meet in an elevator?):

Congratulations! You recently purchased a new home and now you need help moving. While considering the tedious efforts of packing-up several boxes of housewares, you are given two options for help: Friend “A” – who, in response to your plea for aid, hands you $100 and says, “Hope this helps!”

Then you have Friend “B.” Friend B arrives five minutes early on moving day with a full tank of gas. Not only is Friend B dressed for hard work, but Friend B is also wearing a warm smile and has an action plan. Which friendship of the two do you feel truly helped you out?

Credit unions must make a lasting impact within their communities by building long-term, stable and memorable relationships with their members and non-members alike. These unforgettable, lasting and trustworthy relationships are created by being actively present for the people. As credit unions, we are not handing out oversized checks like our competitors; we are offering time, resources and personalized assistance.

Sure, money is clearly desirable – but obtaining it is not as memorable and invaluable as a helping hand that is reliably there during times of need. Get out there and BE the credit union difference by standing by your claims and promises. Prove to your members that you can follow through with your guarantees. Truly get to know your communities by volunteering, participating in local activities, or simply by showing up and offering guidance.

Be present, get involved, and consistently offer that smile and support – by doing so, you will mirror the credit union difference every day. Be “Friend B” in your community.

What is your long-term career goal?

I have high aspirations, I want to be the CEO of a credit union or credit union related organization. I want to remain in the credit union movement, in whatever form that may be. I want to leave work each day feeling fulfilled knowing that, in some way, I am helping credit union members. I am focused on keeping the energy of the credit union movement alive.

Fill in the dots: The future of credit unions will be bright if … 

We work hard to keep small credit unions from faltering and disappearing, fight like hell to maintain and bring awareness to the credit union difference. Credit union leaders must to be resourceful, united and powerful when we need to do so. Jim Nussle https://twitter.com/Nussle , the CUNA http://www.cuna.org president/CEO, recently spoke at Western CUNA Management School and stated that, “Credit unions are too nice sometimes…” This is a candid truth and it is a reality. We need to push lawmakers to understand the importance of the credit union tax exemption. Equally important is the fight to reduce the regulatory burdens that are burying credit unions, especially small credit unions, in excessive costs of unwarranted regulations. Remember: we are fighting for our shareholders, our members; this is something that most banks are not doing and it is a welcomed advantage to the CU movement.

What my generation brings to the credit union movement is …

An innovative spirit that generates fresh concepts, which will ultimately ensure that credit unions stay relevant within the financial community. We are outspoken and enjoy giving back. Many view and consider millennials as drastically different. This is not the case. Sure, we have some generational differences, but so does every new generation. However, while we may be young – there are a lot of us in numbers. Our passion and outspoken nature makes our voices loud and eventually, they will be heard.

People consider me a leader because …

I listen, I am rational and I offer solutions. I live by the contrary principle of: “do as I do, not as I say.” I believe that sharing the spotlight and allowing others to have their voice heard makes one a true leader. If we want to be successful we cannot simply relax and give advice alone; we have to work hard to educate and be educated, learning to take advice from others.

 Who is your hero and why?

I do not have a hero. We are our own heroes. I’m a realist and we all have our own journey in life. I have the utmost respect for our men and women in uniform. There are people in my life that truly amaze me; especially those who have overcome obstacles or are currently working through one, yet are still positive and supportive of others. I have pure and simple respect for those I mentioned and I think giving respect is more important than giving the ambiguous status of “hero.”

 Who is a must-follow on Twitter?

I will be honest, I’ve had a Twitter account for several years but I have not been active. I have recently become more active, two must-follows are Stacey Hanke and Filene. Stacey is an influence expert, she gives reasonable and meaningful advice to those who strive to be influential. Stacey reminds us that we must hold ourselves accountable in life. We have to put in extra work and mindfully take steps to be more influential and have our voices hear. Filene is fun. Filene shares interesting information and innovative ideas, how can you not like seeing what they have to say! Sometimes the statistics might not be where we as an industry want them, but it’s up to us to change them!

Does your credit union have Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/Pintrest/LinkedIn/ Instagram other social media accounts? Provide links

Facebook : Tongass Federal Credit Union

What is your favorite CUES member benefit? Or, if you are a new CUES NextGen member, what benefit are you most looking forward to using?

I am most excited about the webinars https://www.cues.org/professional-development/training-education/webinars  and networking, both are excellent opportunities to learn. Networking is an outstanding and unmatched trait of our industry. Credit unions share with one another and it makes us stronger, both individually and as an industry. I look forward to connecting with likeminded NextGen credit union leaders. Webinars are always helpful when looking to expand your knowledge or have a deeper understanding of a specific item; plus you typically get to learn from others during Q & A.