Alltru Credit Union appoints Vice President of Brand and Product Strategy

Woods is an active advocate for financial empowerment, believing that everyone should have accessible financial products. Reflecting on her dedication, Woods previously said, “Alltru is a not-for-profit financial institution with the understanding that true financial empowerment requires access to comprehensive checking and loan products. All people need access to these crucial, and often unreachable, financial products as a baseline to maintain and grow a healthy community.”Since joining Alltru Credit Union in 2008, Woods has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a commitment to growth. She began her career as a Marketing Coordinator before quickly being promoted to Marketing Communication Manager and then Vice President of Marketing and Community Presence due to her unwavering leadership and growth-driven mindset. In her most recent role, Woods oversaw both the Marketing and Community Development departments for Alltru. Her consistent professional growth within the organization over the past 15 years has been a testament to her expertise, dedication, and passion for Alltru’s mission. Woods holds an MBA from Missouri Baptist University, further enhancing her ability to develop strategic initiatives that drive growth, member engagement, and community impact.

“We’re delighted to share that Laura Woods is stepping into the role of Vice President of Brand and Product Development,” said Michelle Rosner, Chief Executive Officer at Alltru Credit Union.

Rosner added, “In this role, Laura will lead the charge in creating products and services that truly meet the changing needs of our members. She will also work closely with our innovation teams to make sure we stay on top of new technologies to serve members. Our goal is to ensure we are delivering solutions that keep Alltru moving forward and exceeding member expectations. With 15 years of experience in serving members, Laura is the perfect person to help take this next step and we can’t wait to see where her leadership takes us.”

Woods has been a key leader in many successful initiatives at Alltru including the St. Louis City College Kids program, which helps children in kindergarten start Savings accounts for college and reinforces Alltru’s commitment to financial education. She also played a crucial role in securing a CDFI grant, multiple other grants, and maintaining Alltru’s CDFI certification, enabling the credit union to serve underserved populations effectively. In addition, Laura spearheaded the successful rebranding of 1st Financial Federal Credit Union to Alltru Credit Union in 2020, navigating the complexities of this transformation during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her new role, Woods will champion member-centric product development as she researches and understands the needs of members by creating new or evolving existing products. This is done through marketing analysis and trend identification to ensure that Alltru stays competitive in the financial industry. Woods will collaborate with other departments of the credit union as she pushes Alltru toward sustainable growth.

Woods recently completed the Product Manager certification from AIPMM, the Association of International Product Marketing and Management. AIPMM’s mission is to advance the product management field in all industries by creating the sole industry certification exam and conducting research in the product management field.

Woods is committed to providing accessible essential banking products to underserved communities. To do so, Woods will continue to develop partnerships and programs that empower individuals and familes to achieve financial stability. These efforts will advance Alltru’s mission by aligning brand and product strategies.