Mike Valentine, BCU President & CEO, was named Credit Union Times/ALM LUMINARIES Award winner in the Executive Leadership – Individual category. Valentine was selected out of 11 other distinguished credit union executives.
This LUMINARIES Award recognizes an executive leader who makes decisions that matter most in a fast-changing environment and supports bold strategies that produce quantitative and qualitative results for their organization and the broader financial-services community. Throughout his four decades with BCU, Mike leads compassionately in relentless pursuit of excellence.
Valentine has been at the helm, driving the Credit Union to double-digit annual growth, staying true to its north star as the employee financial well-being benefit partner for America’s best workplaces including Target, UnitedHealth Group, HCA Healthcare, Baxter, GEICO, and more. Valentine ensures BCU is the preferred Credit Union for top workplaces and is a top workplace. Under Mike’s leadership, BCU earned the Gallup Exceptional Workplace recognition in 2023, and in the last five years has been honored with CUNA Excellence Awards for Culture of Belonging and Operations and Member Experience; a Forbes Best-in-State Credit Union (IL & MN) recognition; a Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT award; a Tribune Top Workplace achievement; and a Great Place to Work® Certification™.
Mike recently joined forces with a handful of his CU CEO peers in establishing the NCUF FinHealth Fund and he advocates passionately for financial well being for all. He has revolutionized the industry by bringing together human and tech, fostering an empathetic culture of leaders who focus on meaningful relationships, while advocating fiercely for digital transformation focused on creating extraordinary member experiences.
Valentine challenges his team to develop products that support members' financial goals and security. Establishing a financial well-being CUSO, Life. Money. You.®, supporting over 130 employees as certified financial coaches, and designing products that promote financial confidence in a volatile rate environment are just a few of the innovative ways that Valentine guides BCU and its members to achieving individual goals.
“I’m honored to be recognized by the CU Times LUMINARIES,” said Valentine. “It’s such a privilege to serve our members and help them reach their financial goals, and to contribute to the broader initiative of financial well-being for all.”
Valentine’s infectious, positive attitude is felt by the entire organization, and permeates through BCU’s Executive Leadership Team, who have over 129 years of combined experience. From formal business communication to social events and incidental physical and virtual conversations, employees feel what Valentine fosters - an inclusive culture of caring for employees and their families, Company Partners, and the communities BCU serves. His mantra, “listen to understand, not to react,” exemplifies why Mike Valentine is an exceptional leader, who epitomizes everything the Credit Union industry represents.
Pictured: Mike Valentine (L), BCU President & CEO and LUMINARIES Executive Leadership winner with wife, Ellen Valentine (R)