CRMNEXT, Inc., a global CRM solution provider for financial services, is pleased to recognize the top 10 finalists and grand prize winners in its 2020 Right on the Money superhero competition.
The contest – designed to showcase the heroic ways banks and credit unions have shown up for their communities in this difficult time - concluded earlier this month. Winners were announced on a live webinar, receiving accolades from their peers, esteemed judges, and key industry influencers.
Nearly 50 institutions participated in the inaugural competition, sharing their stories of resilience and ingenuity amidst COVID’s unprecedented challenges. The applicants not only explained how they provided extraordinary service and support for members/customers, employees and their communities – they backed it up with a wealth of videos, photos, reports, presentations, interviews and more.
“The quality of these submissions literally blew us away,” said James Gilbert, head of marketing for CRMNEXT. “It’s banks and credit unions like these that are the workhorses of our economy, persisting in the face of crisis to keep it afloat.”
“We saw an opportunity with Right on the Money to provide a platform for these incredible institutions to be seen and heard – a forum to celebrate and share best practices. There wasn’t a single submission that didn’t warrant recognition as an unsung hero.”
The panel of judges included:
- Lauren Culp - Publisher & CEO at CUInsight.com
- Denise Wymore - Membership & Advocacy Development Director at NACUSO
- James Robert Lay - Founder & CEO of Digital Growth Institute
- Annette Franz - Founder & CEO of CX Journey Inc.
- Amanda Thomas - President & Founder of TwoScore
- Nate Brown - CEO at Officium Labs; Co-Founder of CX Accelerator
“I was humbled by the opportunity to review all of these amazing submissions. Every single one touched me, inspired me, educated me, and motivated me to look for ways to do more,” said Denise Wymore, Membership and Advocacy Development Director for NACUSO.
“Saying I had a hard time narrowing it down to the top 10, much less selecting the winners is the understatement of the century – and I feel confident putting my words in the other judges’ mouths as well. The impact these banks and credit unions are having is unparalleled.”
The top 10 finalists included:
- State Employees Credit Union of New Mexico, NM (1st place)
- InRoads Credit Union, OR (2nd place)
- Infinity Federal Credit Union, ME (3rd place)
- Coastal FCU, NC
- Karen Griffo - CEO at Roswell Community FCU, NM
- Addition Financial, FL
- Redwood Credit Union, CA
- Ashlee Blankenship - Andrews FCU, MD/ D.C./ VA
- San Diego County Credit Union, CA
- Visions FCU, NY
The judges unanimously named State Employees Credit Union of New Mexico as this year’s 1st place winner, attributing their selection, in large part, to the credit union’s novel Education Lab idea.
“There were a lot of great credit unions in the running, so this is a tremendous honor for us,” said Kyle Moore, Member Experience VP at State Employees Credit Union.
Recognizing the dilemma their working parent employees were facing, State Employees Credit Union of New Mexico rolled out socially distanced classrooms in each of their branches. The Education Labs provided a PC workstation and tutor for each student, paid for by the credit union, allowing working parents to maintain their standards of member service while having the peace of mind that their child is being looked after and not falling behind in school.
“Right on the Money is such a fun and uplifting way to bring the financial community together, share best practices, and encourage ongoing innovation as we continue conquer the Corona-villian one day-at-a-time,” continued Moore. “When we announced our first place ‘Grand Superhero’ status during our all-hands, the entire staff rose up in thunderous applause.”
As grand prize winner, State Employees Credit Union of New Mexico walked away with a bounty that included $3,000, a bespoke Right on the Money 2020 superhero cape, customized wrestling belt (story for another time), original CRMNEXT Flying Pig trophy, and copies of judge James Robert Lay’s latest book, Banking on Digital Growth – plus bragging rights and more.
Oregon’s InRoads Credit Union clinched 2nd place for their InRoads LIVE experience, which allows members to have face-to-face interactions with financial advisors via drive-thru teller machines and their app. The judges praised InRoads for their “big credit union thinking, on a small credit union budget.” The InRoads team went home with $1,500, a Flying Pig, and some reading material of their own courtesy of James Robert Lay.
Coming in 3rd place, Infinity Federal Credit Union impressed the judges with the variety and scope of community-building initiatives. Of particular note is their We Will Rise community impact program, focused on bringing joy and positivity through random acts of kindness, assisting members with mortgage refinancing, utilizing curbside tellers for onsite efficiency, developing monthly awareness days, and educating employees on a variety of health causes. Their prize package included $750, the final 2020 Flying Pig trophy, and copies of James Robert Lay’s book.
The first annual Right on the Money Championship may be over, but the community for credit unions and community banks to tell their incredible stories and share best practices is just beginning. Stay tuned.