5 minutes
Candice Thiry
Branch Manager
$190 million PCM Credit Union
Marinette, Wis.
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Watch Candice’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?):
My project consists of developing a training program for our employees that will build their passion toward their careers and the credit union industry as a whole. We are designing this easy, four-step program around the letters C, A, R, E: Cooperative, Attitude, Respect and Excellence. Each of these categories will have different material that will dig deeper into those key values. We will survey our employees anonymously before and after the training to track our success in the program. Then we will use the best, most interesting parts of that training to make a three- to five-minute member video introducing them to PCM CU and teach them the difference that all credit unions make for their member-owners.
What is your long-term career goal?
I don’t see myself doing anything not related to credit unions. I started my credit union career as a part-time member service representative. I’ve worked my way through different positions which led me to my current position of branch manager. I am very happy with my current position, but know that I have much more to learn. I never pictured myself in a management role until I started my career at my credit union. In this industry, the sky is the limit and there is always room for growth. My long-term goal for myself would be to stay in a management position where my knowledge and ideas are appreciated and valued.
Fill in the dots: The future of credit unions will be bright if …
… we all do our part. If we don’t promote our credit unions and the good things that we do for our members, who will? If we have passion for what we do and what we are trying to achieve then that will be noticed by our members themselves and everyone else we talk to. I honestly believe that everyone wants to feel as if they are giving something back, making someone’s life better, and helping people. In the credit union industry we do all of those things on a daily basis. Now we just have to feel comfortable enough to tell others about what we do.
What my generation brings to the credit union movement is …
… passion, motivation, energy, and ideas. However I do not believe that our generation is the only one who can bring these talents into their work environment. There are many values to motivate and energize us to want to do more for our members and the entire credit union movement. You get out what you put into something. Everyone can contribute something!
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Online voters and a panel of past finalists narrowed the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec field from 20 to the Top 15 applicants. The challenge, held in conjunction with DDJ Myers and administered 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™, Nov. 8-11 in Scottsdale, Ariz., where they will give their final presentations. The 2015 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 |
People consider me a leader because …
… I am determined. I often have to dig to the bottom of something, completely understand every part, so that everything can make sense to me. I don’t like making assumptions until I know the whole story. I set goals for myself both personally and professionally that I try my very hardest to accomplish. I am human, I make mistakes. However, these mistakes give me valuable life lessons that allow me to empathize with others who may be going through similar situations. I try my hardest to keep a positive attitude at all times and in every situation.
Who is your hero and why?
My definition of a hero is someone who inspires you, someone who drives you to be the best possible version of yourself by setting a great example, and someone who always pushes you to succeed and is proud of what you achieve. I have been blessed to have many of these kinds of people in my life, both personally and professionally. Much of my success is owed to these people who have inspired me and it would be impossible for me to choose only one.
Who is a must-follow on Twitter?
The National CU Foundation and Filene Research because they have some amazing content that always inspires us to keep our purpose in the credit union industry at the forefront of our business strategy.
Does your credit union have Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/Pinterest/LinkedIn/Instagram other social media accounts?
PCM CU believes in technology. We strive to give our members as much information as we can through social media channels.
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 looking forward to the CUES Webinars and sharing different ideas or challenges with my peers through the Members Share portion of my membership. I look forward to the different networking opportunities that this will open up for me.
