Devin Selte, CCE, describes how CUES involvement has impacted his career.
Part of Devin Selte’s prize when he won the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec challenge in 2011 was a scholarship to the first two years of CUES’ three-segment CEO Institute. Today, Selte has earned his Certified Chief Executive—CCE—designation by completing all three years of CEO Institute, plus two between-segments projects that applied what he learned.
When Selte won the NTCUE challenge, he was senior relationship manager, team lead. He became corporate trainer, leadership and now is an assistant branch manager at $13 billion Servus Credit Union, Edmonton, Alberta. We caught up with him recently to see how his involvement in these programs is impacting his career.
Q. What are your key takeaways from your experience as a participant in the 2011 CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec program?
It’s tough to sum up what has been one of the best experiences of my career. I think, above all, my biggest takeaway will be the relationships that I have made from this experience. Three years ago when I stepped into Wharton (CEO Institute I) with CEOs, senior executives, vice presidents, I really wasn't sure how I would be received. I was likely one of the youngest people in my class, and for sure the lowest positioned person in the class. With that being said, not once did I ever feel like I didn't belong. I was always treated like I was one of them. They listened to what I had to say. They provided me with feedback on my thoughts. I would like to thank each and every one of my classmates for making this such a wonderful experience. We will walk together forever and we now all have 60+ incredible resources to help each other make a difference in the lives of our staff, our members, and the communities that we live in.
Q: What stands out in your mind as the best part of attending CEO Institute and completing the two between-segments projects?
I am pretty certain that I can speak for mostly all of my classmates (including myself) that the third and final program at Darden that focused on leadership was the most impactful experience of the three. I believe that regardless of whether you are an expert at strategic planning or change management, if you don't have a firm understanding of how to lead people and can put that into action, you will not be successful at either. I think Darden was humbling for all of us, but getting that feedback is a gift and will make each and every one of us better going forward.
Q. What does it mean to you that you have earned your CCE designation? How do you plan to use this?
I had asked a Canadian mentor of mine what it meant to have the CCE designation and there was an awkward silence at the other end of the telephone. It confirmed what I already believed--that the CCE designation is an incredible accomplishment (my mentor considers it a mini MBA). However, it isn't as well known in the Canadian CU system as in the U.S. system. In my class of 60ish people, we had three Canadians. I believe CUES has recognized this. By hiring Leiha Fiddler as director of sales and member relations in Canada, CUES is working to bring greater understanding of what the CCE designation is and the value it will bring to leaders in the Canadian movement. Going forward, I plan to continue to be an ambassador of the NTCUE and CEO Institute programs, so that all credit union leaders can experience what I have.Q. What has made possible your participation in CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec and CEO Institute?
Firstly, I had full support from my wonderful wife and kids to allow me to complete my CCE designation. I can't count how many hours I have spent creating videos, blogs, completing pre-reading, working on assignments, or being away from my family while my wife supported our kids (aged 2, 5, and 7) at home. Without them, the full NTCUE experience would have not been possible, and I love them with all my heart for that. (See the photo of these great folks at right, complete with CEO Institute shirts.)
I have also received tremendous support from Servus CU in completing this chapter of my professional career. Much like their support of the Servus Young Leaders Network, the CU believes in investing in our people and they were fully supportive of my request to assist me reaching my CCE goal. Going forward, I look forward to partnering with them as we continue to build a better world, one member at a time.
Q. How has participating in NTCUE and CEO Institute affected your CU career so far? What impact do you expect you might see in the future?
It has allowed me to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. At the end of my NTCUE experience, I was moving into a leadership development role with Servus CU, which I thought might lead me to an undetermined end point of my career. Through that experience I figured out that developing others was just one aspect that I love about being in the credit union movement. I missed making a difference in the lives of our members and the communities we live in. Because of that, I have set forth a future goal of becoming a CEO in the credit union movement and the CCE designation will definitely assist me in working toward reaching that goal.Q. What advice would you give to someone considering signing up for NTCUE and/or CEO Institute?
Get fully entrenched in the experience and all that it has to offer. The more you are willing to put into it, the more you will get out.
Nominate someone for CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec by June 6 at 3 p.m. ET! Contestants' video applications are due by July 17.
Read more about Devin's CEO Institute experiences. A few slots remain for the first-ever summer session of CEO Institute I: Strategic Planning, slated for Aug. 17-23 at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, Philadelphia.
Also read "CUES Award Meaningful to 'Future Leader,' Now CEO."
