President & CEO Firefighters First Credit Union Los Angeles, California
Q: What led you to the credit union sector and to Firefighters First Credit Union?
A: In 1992, I was working part-time at Wells Fargo as a teller when a colleague asked me to go with her to an employment agency. I was sent to the then Los Angeles Firemen’s Credit Union for an interview in Pasadena, Calif. I started as a teller, and after a few years, I worked collections, then participated in a cross-training program for eight months, where I learned to do the investments and call reports, underwrite consumer loans and run the systems and reports in IT, and eventually became the first training coordinator. After working as vice president of marketing and earning my executive MBA from Pepperdine, I became chief strategy officer and eventually, executive vice president and finally CEO on April 17, 2018. What started as a two-year job has become a 26-year career.
Q: Describe your leadership philosophy.
A: I truly believe in servant leadership. My purpose is to provide the training, tools, and opportunity for our employees to achieve their potential and purpose in life. I believe in internal promotions and giving each team member the opportunity to rise within our organization. I also believe in self-motivation and the importance of our team to be aligned with the mission and vision of the organization. In order to provide legendary service to our members, we must provide the necessary tools to our employees.
Q: Firefighters First serves paid professional firefighters and their families throughout the state of California. Explain the history of the credit union and what it means to serve firefighters.
A: Los Angeles Firemen’s Credit Union started in 1935, above an old engine house in downtown LA. A few firefighters pooled their money in a cigar box to help one another buy uniforms. By the end of the first year, there were 800 members. In 2002, the board made the strategic decision to expand beyond the city of Los Angeles in order to grow, diversify and expand the great value proposition being offered by the credit union to other firefighters within the state of California. Today, Firefighters First Credit Union is the oldest, largest, most trusted organization in the U.S. exclusively serving firefighters and their immediate family members nationwide. Our core values mirror those of the fire service: trust, integrity, competence and a relentless dedication to providing legendary service. What most people don’t know is that less than 4 percent of firefighters’ calls are fire-related, and a majority are medical. They are truly unselfish heroes. It is an honor serving them.
Q: What are some of the new technologies and trends that you are incorporating into Firefighters First?
A: In the last four years, we have been working diligently to update and upgrade our IT infrastructure. We have expanded the department from eight to 17 talented employees. Sometimes it’s just as important to remove services as it is to introduce new ones. We are in the process of eliminating our online check deposit service due to remote deposit capture, and we are also re-evaluating our ATM strategy. In 2018, we launched our marketing automation tool and our emergency SMS text platform that we used to notify members regarding a branch closure due to the recent California fires. We are looking forward to launching our new automated end-to-end new account opening solution, business banking platform, video conferencing and data warehouse, to name a few, this year. In 2020 and beyond, we will be exploring BOTS and other fintech solutions that may arise.
Q: Firefighters First invests in its community and employees through innovative programs and education. Describe some of these initiatives.
A: Investing in our firefighter community and our employees are one of our differentiators. We contribute to many firefighter fundraisers, training events and charities that support their local communities. We do this both through the credit union and the foundation we created in 2008. It was the tragic events of 9/11 that inspired the formation of the Fire Family Foundation, which helps fire families in need, distributes more than $50,000 in scholarships, supports other fire charities, and will soon be assisting with wellness and financial literacy. We also invest in our employees by providing educational reimbursement, an on-site degree program, profit sharing and more. Our mission is to improve the financial lives of our fire family — internally and externally.
From the January-February 2019 edition of The NAFCU Journal magazine.