BJ Jones, SLFCU Chief Diversity and Impact Officer, recognized as Diversity Champion
Honor received for initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion at the credit union
ALBUQUERQUE, NM (October 11, 2023) — Barbara “BJ” Jones, Chief Diversity and Impact Officer for Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union (SLFCU), has been named as a Diversity Champion in Albuquerque Business First’s 2023 Diverse Business Leader Awards.
“I’m thrilled by this recognition because it affirms SLFCU’s path forward and shows that our investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not only the right thing to do, but has a positive impact on our employees, members, and community. I look forward to making SLFCU the best place to work in each of the communities we serve so that we can continue to drive the economic engine that benefits the people and places where we live and work,” Jones said.
Jones credits commitment from SLFCU’s executive team as integral to her success. “Our leadership understands and supports diversity because they know it can help SLFCU attract, grow, and retain diverse, talented employees, which in turn means we can better serve our members.”
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to BJ for this well-deserved award,” said Alex de la Cruz, SLFCU Executive Vice President. “She is instilling DEI values and collaboration at every level of our organization and fostering new community partnerships – all of which speaks to the culture we are building with our employees and our diverse, multicultural membership.”
Jones was selected for the award for her leadership in promoting initiatives and resources to advance diversity in the workplace and for her community involvement, including:
- Initiating a Spanish-language pay differential for bilingual, member-facing employees;
- Updating policies to ensure gender-neutral dress code provisions;
- Launching employee-run affinity groups that focus on networking, as well as personal and professional development;
- Enhancing SLFCU’s Total Rewards benefits package to include 16 paid volunteer time-off hours annually;
- Aiding the creation of a Lifestyle Spending Account funded by SLFCU to support work/life balance and a holistic approach to wellness;
- Championing new internal employee communications which are intentionally inclusive; and
- Sponsoring action planning around employee engagement to increase belonging at every level of the organization.
After a successful 30-year career in human resources and diversity training with Sandia National Laboratories, and as president of her own consulting firm, Jones joined SLFCU in 2014 as Vice President of Human Resources and Training. She was promoted to Senior Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness in 2018, and was named to the newly created position of Chief Diversity and Impact Officer in October 2022.
About Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union (SLFCU)
Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union (SLFCU) was named by Forbes as a Best-in-State Credit Union for the sixth consecutive year in 2023. With more than $3.7 billion in assets, SLFCU is one of New Mexico’s largest credit unions by asset size and serves more than 140,000 members, with 12 branches in New Mexico and one in Livermore, California. Formed in 1948 by employees of Sandia National Laboratories, SLFCU’s field of membership now includes more than 1,400 partner companies in New Mexico and California. Employees of those companies and their family members use SLFCU for financial services that include checking, savings, home loans, auto loans, credit cards, and investment services. Members enjoy a nationwide, surcharge-free ATM system and free online account services. The Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and is an Equal Housing Lender. Visit slfcu.org for more information.
