Canvas Credit Union congratulates three of their own family members (employees) for going above and beyond in their participation and project achievements for Western CUNA Management School (WCMS). Canvas’ own Ryan Brown, AVP People & Culture; Ben Metzger, Staff Attorney; & Crystal Rooney, Financial Analyst III, were awarded Honors and High Honors as they completed over 100 hours of an in-depth analysis of Canvas Credit Union then applied academic concepts to real-life credit union experiences within their projects.
As these students continue to grow their credit union knowledge and establish strong professional networks, Canvas is thrilled to support their personal growth in our transformative industry. In the last five years, Canvas has had eight Canvas family members graduate from Western CUNA Management School with four currently enrolled and four more at the Madison, WI CUNA Management School. This program keeps Canvas family members at the forefront of trends, allowing Canvas to continue to be a leader in its communities, and be known for their people.
Western CUNA Management School students focused their project topics on an in-depth analysis of Canvas. Ben, Crystal, and Ryan interviewed Canvas’ leadership team to gain insights. They also leveraged Filene Institute research. As they shaped their projects, they were able to share back with the credit union suggestions and ideas about how the organization can continue to grow and get stronger.
Crystal Rooney earned Honors in her deep dive into the history and organizational structure of Canvas, while Ben Metzger chose to highlight the current state of political polarization in America and how that might affect credit unions—where he was awarded High Honors. Ryan Brown launched his research from an article written by Taylor Nelms at Filene Research Institute called ‘The Case for Workplace Financial Well-being,’ which shared the idea that organizations can improve the financial wellness of their employees by helping them develop in their careers. By expanding upon this research and discovering new opportunities to implement at Canvas, he was awarded High Honors.
“My participation in WCMS has truly reshaped my understanding of Canvas and the broader credit union movement,” shared Ryan Brown, Canvas’ AVP People & Culture. “Although my current role is very focused on our vision pillar of being known for our people, WCMS has really provided me so many new perspectives.”
For more than 50 years, the Western CUNA Management School has helped credit union professionals keep pace with the challenges of the future. By providing powerful and up-to-date curriculum, they prepare credit union leaders with the depth and breadth they need to contribute to their credit union’s success and their own personal career goals.
Canvas is dedicated to helping family members grow into their careers, and participating in the Western Management CUNA School does just that! The Canvas leadership team looks forward to fostering more enrichment for their Canvas family members through CUNA Management Schools and other learning and development opportunities within the credit union movement.
Ryan Brown, Canvas AVP People & Culture
Ben Metzger, Canvas Staff Attorney
Crystal Rooney, Canvas Financial Analyst III