Credit Union Times Magazine names Coopera CEO Miriam De Dios a “Woman to Watch”
DES MOINES, IA (October 13, 2016) — Miriam De Dios, CEO of Coopera, has been named a Credit Union Times 2016 Woman to Watch. The publication’s Women to Watch program spotlights influential, forward-thinking women reshaping the future of the credit union community. De Dios is featured in the magazine this week in a profile that explains how her business acumen and life experiences are changing the way the nation’s credit unions view the power and influence of the Hispanic consumer.
Born in Mexico, De Dios moved to the U.S. when she was just 4 years old. Like many families new to the country, the path to citizenship was a rocky one. Financial burdens were made more difficult by the fact her parents relied largely on friends, family and alternative financial services providers for saving, paying bills and accessing credit. Her family members did not consider credit unions and banks to be a real option for them.
“It’s a big part of who I am today. It certainly shaped my interest, my desire and my need to excel,” De Dios told the Credit Union Times. “It continues to be something I look back on, and I use that experience to also relate and share that experience with others.”
Patrick S. Jury, CEO of Coopera’s parent company Affiliates Management Company (AMC) and the Iowa Credit Union League, elevated De Dios to the position of Coopera CEO in 2012. Since that time, the consulting firm has helped grow the Hispanic credit union membership of its clients by more than 1 million people. “The credit union movement attracts some of the brightest minds and the most passionate hearts. Miriam is the perfect example of an individual using her professional gifts to make credit unions even more impactful for their communities,” said Jury. “The important work she leads at Coopera is helping more cooperatives think strategically, grow into new markets and reimagine their cultures to truly improve the financial lives of multicultural consumers.”
As CEO of Coopera and a senior vice president of parent company AMC, De Dios is focused on improving the credit union movement’s awareness and understanding of the power and influence of the growing Hispanic consumer market. She accomplishes this largely by equipping credit unions with strategic plans and culturally relevant financial services to reach and serve the nation’s youngest minority group. Today, Coopera partners with more than 40 credit unions in 15 states.
De Dios has significant experience in the financial services industry, having worked with State Farm Insurance Companies and John Deere Financial. She has served as a board member of various non-profit organizations in the Des Moines area, including Alianza Latino Business Association, Iowa International Center, Latinas para Un Nuevo Amanacer (L.U.N.A.) and Hispanic Educational Resources (H.E.R.).
In 2015, De Dios was named Latino Business Person of the Year by the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa (LULAC). She is also a 2012 recipient of the World Council of Credit Union’s Young Credit Union People Program (WYCUP) award, a former board member of the national Network of Latino Credit Unions and Professionals and a member of the World Council of Credit Union’s Global Women’s Leadership Network.
Education is incredibly important to De Dios who understands the challenges facing both U.S. born and immigrant Hispanics. She is a 2010-2011 Leadership Iowa class graduate and a Des Moines New Leaders Council fellow. She has also taught English as a Second Language classes to first generation immigrants as an adjunct professor for Des Moines Area Community College. De Dios earned her bachelor’s degree with honors from Iowa State University and is a graduate of the Leading Change and Organizational Renewal executive education program at Harvard Business School. She is currently pursuing her Executive Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Iowa.
The Credit Union Times Women to Watch program is open to any woman serving the industry, from across all departments, ages and experiences. To be named to the list, candidates must be nominated by a peer or client in the credit union industry. Women named to this list are recognized for challenging the status quo and pushing creative solutions.
About Coopera
Coopera (ko-pair-ah) is a full-service multicultural analytics and consulting firm with specific focus on credit unions nationwide. Coopera’s dedicated multicultural and multilingual personnel work closely with clients to assess their needs and create growth strategies designed to increase multicultural membership, revenue growth and loan volume. Founded by the late Hispanic community activist Warren Morrow, Coopera is owned by Affiliates Management Company, the holding company of the Iowa Credit Union League and is an exclusive strategic alliance partner of the Credit Union National Association. For more information, visit www.CooperaConsulting.com
