4 minutes
Meet the 2017 CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec Top 15
Josh Gelser
Strategic Project Manager
$1.1 billion DuPont Community Credit Union
Waynesboro, Va.
Follow Josh on Twitter: @CUProjectMan
Connect with him on LinkedIn
Watch his 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?):
When my projects use precious DCCU resources efficiently it benefits members, employees’ work lives and the bottom line. The Project Management Office (PMO) I’m creating will help drive innovation, employee engagement and leadership by implementing a Project Portfolio Management (PPM) process to integrate grassroots-sourced ideas with DCCU strategic projects. Employees submit their ideas and they are reviewed, prioritized and, potentially, implemented. The PMO will improve strategic project execution by building a project management methodology to use PM tools, processes and best practices.
What is your long-term career goal?
I am working to become a Chief Strategy Officer as it fits my skillset and interests. Most immediately, I want to be the Project Portfolio Manager when our PMO is mature enough to require one and to earn my Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) certification. More abstractly, I want to continue to position myself where I can follow my curiosity, learn, grow and lead. I’d like to continue to educate others on project management and creative thinking; I'd like to help those around me be intentional about their careers and personal lives.
Fill in the dots: The future of credit unions will be bright if ...
We continue to be #1 in member service in the financial industry AND the most efficient and effective in our projects so as to beat Big banks and fintech on the operational side. More innovation labs would be fun. At some point we’ll need to make the shift from focusing on millennials to Gen Z/Boomlets.
What my generation brings to the credit union movement is …
Connection. Flexibility. Quick learners. More interest in why, less on what. The stereotypical traits of millennials gives the movement a skill set that puts us in a good position to be naturally member-service oriented and adaptable--strengths of credit unions.
People consider me a leader because …
I am committed to continued growth as a leader. I lead projects, I don’t manage them. I take responsibility for project results and team performance. I lead by listening to the team, casting a vision, building comradery, guiding problem solving and appreciating all efforts, however small, that build towards our ultimate goal. That I don’t have formal authority in our functional environment is irrelevant: “Authority is basically a proxy for trust, so if you have trust, authority is easy to come by.” (an adapted quote from Alpha Project Managers
Who is your hero and why?
I’ve been blessed to cross paths with many people I could look up to. I’ve found myself admiring attributes of people, more than the people themselves. My Dad’s persistence, Brian Howel’s generosity, Tom Fite’s leadership, Tete Bangura's skill, JoAnn Blasko's patience, John Miley's humor, Dr. Dewhurst's heart for family.
Who is a must-follow on Twitter?
I like the personal productivity/improvement space, including but not limited to, Chris LoCurto @ChrisLoCurto, Art of Manliness @artofmanliness and Jordan Harbinger @TheArtofCharm. In the CU world I like Michael Lawson’s videos @CUbroadcast. In the project management world I like Cesar Abeid, PMP @PM4TM, I’m bummed he quit doing podcasts. For personal finance, Mr. Money Mustache @mrmoneymustache. In the miscellaneous category I like NPR’s Planet Money @planetmoney.
Does your credit union have Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/Pinterest/LinkedIn/Instagram other social media accounts? Please provide links:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mydccu
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/dupont-community-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’m looking forward to learning and networking. This is the correction of the classic phrase: It is what you know and it is who you know. I’ve learned a lot from other CU resources and will jump into CUES as well!
|
Online voters and a panel of past finalists narrowed the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec field from 19 to the Top 15 applicants. The challenge, held in conjunction with DDJ Myers and powered by Currency, searches for emerging leaders age 35 and under from within the credit union industry. The Top 15 will blog about their project. And to provide additional value to the competition experience, they’ll each receive an executive coaching session from DDJ Myers, a CUES Supplier member and strategic provider. A judging panel of two CUES members and Deedee Myers of DDJ Myers will then score the Top 15’s applications and blog posts, narrowing the competition to five finalists. The five finalists will receive additional coaching, airfare, accommodation and registration to CUES’ CEO/Executive Team Network™, Oct. 10-12 in Las Vegas, where they will give their final presentations. The 2017 CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec will receive further coaching, airfare, accommodation and registration for two CUES’ CEO Institutes, a total prize package valued at $20,000. |
