Contributed by: CUES - CU Management Magazine
Smith, Myrick, Altepeter, Cheney, Connery and Serlo honored
Randy Smith, CPA, CCD, was named the 2010 CUES Outstanding Executive and Michele Myrick, CCE, was honored as the 2010 CUES Future Leader, last night at CEO/Executive Team Network in Dallas.
In addition, Carla Altepeter, CCE; O. William Cheney III, CCD; Michael J. Connery Jr.; and David J. Serlo were inducted into the CUES Hall of Fame.
Smith has led $4 billion Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union, Universal City, Texas, for more than 20 years. During his tenure, the CU has grown from being a military base credit union with four locations to one that serves approximately 333,000 members in more than a dozen cities in south central Texas.
 Smith’s contributions to the movement are also extensive, including serving as chairman of several credit union service organizations and actively representing his credit union in the community. He has been a CUES member since 1988 and named to the CUES Chairman’s Club on three occasions for recruiting new members.
In accepting his trophy from CUES Chairman Dale F. Schumacher, Smith said, “Most awards are team awards. I have several teams; the first is my family,” which includes Elaine, his wife of 45 years, a daughter, a son and five grandchildren who are already “credit union supporters with piggy credit unions instead of piggy banks.”
Smith’s second team is his credit union--his board which “sets policy and gets out of the way,” and senior management, “the next generation of leadership at our credit union.”
“The third member of the team is CUES, all the way from (1991 CUES Executive of the Year and fellow Texan) Carol Reagan who introduced me to CUES, up through (CUES CEO) Fred (Johnson).”
CUES Outstanding Executives are chosen based on their credit union achievements and innovation, as well as their volunteer service and a continued commitment to education.
CUES Future Leader Myrick is the former executive vice president of $230 million E&A Credit Union, Port Huron, Mich. A CUES member since 2002, she passed away unexpectedly in March. Myrick’s contributions to her credit union, the movement and the community were significant. She was instrumental in the research, planning, design and completion of E&A CU’s new headquarters; and her strategic audit and monitoring project helped the credit union set a direction for the future. Myrick was a member of the Metro East Chapter of Credit Unions, and active in the Michigan Credit Union League, including being named its 2010 Credit Union Community Volunteer.
Myrick was also dedicated to her education. She completed several high-level professional development courses, including CUES’ CEO Institute, earning her certified chief executive designation in 2007.
Myrick’s husband, Scott, and father, Roger Quitter, former president/CEO of Christian Financial Credit Union, Roseville, Mich., accepted the award on her behalf during a special presentation during the Metro East Chapter of Credit Unions’ annual golf outing in September.
CUES Future Leader recognizes non-CEO credit union executives for superior dedication to their credit union, the movement and continuing education. Nominees are evaluated on their accomplishments within the credit union and the movement as a whole; contributions made to CUES and its councils; level of professional development and education; a letter of recommendation from their CEO; and community contributions. Additionally, the judges review the details of a single problem-solving plan which was developed, led and put into action by the nominee.
Schumacher, president/CEO of $246 million Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union, also presented the four crystal CUES Hall of Fame trophies.
 Altepeter has led $333 million CitizensFirst Credit Union since 1992 and began working in the industry in 1980. In 1999, she started the first business lending CUSO in the country with two other credit union CEOs. Altepeter has served on the CUES Board of Directors since 2004 and was chairman in 2009.
In accepting the award she asked, “Who would have thought at the age of 17 when I first started in the credit union movement, I would be inducted into the CUES Hall of Fame. I love what I do and am so honored to be able to do the things we do in credit unions.”
Altepeter thanked her mother for helping her get her first CU job and praised her two daughters who were “such good kids I was able to go back to school and get my degree.” She also recognized several mentors, two vice presidents present for the ceremony and her “tremendous board,” including Chairman John Bermingham, CCD, who made a surprise appearance for the ceremony. “Last, but certainly not least,” she said, “I thank my husband, Tom, the love of my life.”
Fellow honoree Cheney became CUNA’s top leader in July 2010. An industry veteran since 1985, he served as CEO of Xceed Federal Credit Union, in El Segundo, Calif., for 9 years, and as president/CEO of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues for 4.
“It is an honor and privilege to accept this award on behalf of so many people I’ve worked with over the years,” Cheney said, “including Harriet May, my current chair, and Dennis Pierce, my board treasurer. I’ve been a part of CUES since I started in the credit union movement at Security Service (Federal Credit Union). I love the credit union movement; it’s been in my blood since a young age. Really, everyone I’ve encountered in the movement has had a little bit—or a lot—to do with my winning this award,” he said.
Commenting on his Hall of Fame induction Connery said, “I could not have been inducted into the CUES Hall of Fame were it not for the board, volunteer committees, managers and staff of UN FCU who day in and day out have worked tirelessly and with great passion to fulfill our mission: ‘Serving the People Who Serve the World.’ I accept this honor on their behalf and out of respect for our members–many of whom are active on the front lines of humanitarian missions globally.”
Describing his job as the “best in the world,” he added that he “couldn’t have asked for a better senior management team” and that he’s continuously energized and inspired by his board. He continued, “My wife, Joan, has enabled me to fulfill my dreams; I’m proud of moving mountains for our members every day.”
Under Connery’s leadership since 1989, $3.15 billion UN FCU has increased its membership by 72,000 and total assets by almost $3 billion. In addition, the credit union was the first U.S. financial institution to offer microchip and PIN credit cards.
Mike Yatros, PSCU interim CEO, accepted the CUES Hall of Fame honor on Serlo’s behalf, saying, “Dave Serlo dedicated his entire career to the credit union movement. He believed in supporting education, research and economies of scale for credit unions. On behalf of the PSCU Board and staff and the Serlo family, thank you for honoring Dave.”
Serlo served the industry for almost 40 years, beginning his career as an NCUA examiner. In 1983, he became PSCU’s first full-time employee and led the company for 27 years until he passed away in June.
CUES Hall of Fame inductees are nominated by the CUES Board for lifetime achievement and contributions to their profession and the industry. |
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