Learning, Leadership, Legacy
by: Chuck Fagan
I have an amazing network in my CEO Institute classmates. Since I announced my plan to leave CUES and become CEO at PSCU, I’ve been getting emails and texts from them—even the one from Brazil—asking, “Will you be at Darden the first week of May? We want to finish out the institute with you!”
I am very sorry to tell them I won’t be there in May—this spring’s CEO Institute III will be held just days after I take the helm at PSCU. But I also tell them I plan to attend the institute in the future because it will perfectly round out what we’ve already learned from the program.
CEO Institute I focused on the big picture that is strategic planning. CEO Institute II narrowed our focus to organizational-level development. And CEO Institute III will look at personal leadership style and ways to become more effective.
Even with the upcoming shift in my job, I’m planning to participate in CUES’ Strategic Innovation Institute II at Stanford University in August. Last year’s inaugural Strategic Innovation Institute I class at MIT was a wonderful mix of credit union executives and leaders of industry support organizations. So, as the new CEO of a long-time industry CUSO, I’ll still fit right in.
And I can count on the Strategic Innovation Institute content being highly useful. The jobs of CEOs and management teams at credit unions and industry organizations alike are getting harder and harder. A willingness to try ideation and new concepts—and not being afraid to fail—will help us all stay on top. I learned a lot of innovation concepts last year that I’ve been able to apply over and over in my work. Strategic Innovation Institute II is designed to be even more hands on.
Someone recently asked me what I want the legacy from my years at CUES to be. And I said “innovation.” In addition to helping to launch the Strategic Innovation Institute to bring innovation theory and application to the CU industry, I’ve also helped to launch an organizational culture that fosters innovation at CUES. Down the road, I’d like to be able to say I helped CUES move along the path of trying new things to provide ever-better service and professional development opportunities to its members.
When I took the helm at CUES, I meant it to be career, not a stepping stone. But life takes interesting twists and turns, doesn’t it? I’m excited that my next adventure will still be within the CU movement, where world-class learning, great leadership and leaving worthwhile legacies are so highly valued. See you all soon.
Charles E. “Chuck” Fagan, III, is president/CEO of the Credit Union Executives Society, an individual membership association based in Madison, Wis., until April 10. He will become CEO of CUES Supplier member PSCU, St. Petersburg, Fla., on April 27. CUES’ SVP/Chief Sales & Member Relations Officer Dawn Poker, CUDE, has been named acting CEO of CUES. Before joining CUES in January 2013, Fagan served as executive vice president of PSCU’s national sales and client relationship teams and helped pioneer the company’s role in bringing emerging payments technologies to its member-owner credit unions.
