Bob Trunzo is slated to become the eighth president/CEO of CUNA Mutual Group January 1, 2014, succeeding the retiring Jeff Post.

Bob is no stranger to CUNA Mutual. He has held several senior leadership positions since coming to the company in 2005, most recently as president of CUNA Mutual Group Insurance and Financial Services.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Bob earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a law degree from Marquette University. He completed the Kellogg School of Management Executive Program at Northwestern University in 2011, and he served as Secretary of Commerce under former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson.

With the New Year quickly approaching, Credit Union Magazine caught up with Bob to hear his thoughts surrounding his upcoming move to the corner office.

CU Magazine: CUNA Mutual Group has a distinguished legacy spanning some 78 years. You’re now going to take the helm and will shape that legacy during your tenure as CEO. What do you consider as your key tools for success in leading the company forward?

Trunzo: I think our employees are a huge part of the equation and a huge part of our success. We have 3,000-plus employees dedicated to doing the right thing every day for credit unions and credit union members.

What really matters to credit unions and credit union members? Well, I think the answer lies with our employees. They live and breathe credit unions. They know them and are committed to serving them.

And, most important, under Jeff’s tenure we’ve gotten to be a lot better listeners. We’ve gotten a lot better at understanding what they need and responding to what they need.

We spend a lot of time in our company listening very carefully to what our customers say, either through surveys or through our voice of customer process. We continue to listen, and when you listen to your customer you do the right thing.

When you listen to your customer you build trust with that customer.

CU Magazine: How do you see the future unfolding for credit unions, and what is CUNA Mutual Group’s role in helping them shape that future?

Trunzo: I think we have a big advantage because Jeff has left the company in terrific shape. We have record capital. Our governance structure is strong. We’ve reinvested in a lot of our key products.

So if you look at the future, it’s complex and it’s changing. But I see credit unions continuing to have a terrific opportunity to be their members’ primary financial institution.