Posted by Lisa Hochgraf
It's really cool. CUES members inspire CUES members. A lot.
It's always been this way, but lately CUES employees have been making a point of visiting credit unions on site, asking executives about the current challenges they're facing and how CUES membership can help. Some great stories have come back in the reports. I was inspired, for example, by Daytona Beach Community CU's curbside service, as detailed in this post.
The on site visits aren't the only way CUES is connecting to--and being inspired by--its members right now. The marketing team has been learning members' stories to compile in its new "I am CUES" microsite. The site is designed to place a special focus on CUES members and their personal journeys during 2010.
Felicia Hudson, a CUES marketing writer who has worked on the I am CUES project, says, "I have loved, loved, loved talking with our members. They have all been so passionate about the industry and CUES. Because I'm in the office most the time and am not out interacting with members, it's very inspiring for me to talk with them and get to share their stories. So many have told me about the tremendous support they have from mentors they have within their credit unions and connections they make at CUES events."
I asked Felicia which CUES member story detail inspired her the most and she said:
"All of the members I've interviewed to date have had interesting nuggets to share. It would be impossible to pick just one example of a member who has inspired me because all of those I've interviewed have in some way. However, I'll use Eileen Rivera (president/CEO of $350 million FAA First Federal Credit Union, Hawthorne, Calif.), the first member I interviewed for the campaign, as an example of what I've learned.
"Eileen's story is a true illustration of the credit union philosophy of people helping people. She began working in her first credit union as a teller while in college and after graduation was hired to work in the marketing department there. Through hard work and the mentoring and encouragement of the VP in her department, she advanced her career. She credits the faith that VP had in her abilities, in addition to the many connections she has made through CUES.
Read more about Eileen and more stories of CUES members. And share your own story!
Lisa Hochgraf is a CUES editor.
