ONTARIO, CA (August 7, 2019) — It was graduation time on July 25 for the 99 students of Western CUNA Management School’s (WCMS) Rho class of 2019. The students received their diplomas at a graduation ceremony held at Pomona College in Claremont, CA. The event marked the conclusion of the 60th annual session of WCMS.
Returning to the graduation stage 25 years after his own graduation from WCMS, commencement speaker Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Redwood Credit Union in California, delivered some words of wisdom for the graduates. The Credit Union National Association Board Chairman inspired his address from his own experiences from his time at the school and challenged students: “I want you to remember that leadership is not a title, it’s a mindset. You don’t have to be a CEO and you don’t even have to be a manager to be a leader. I encourage you to lead from where you sit. I encourage you to make a difference. I guarantee people will notice.”
The alumnus also surprised each student in the graduating class with a personally inscribed copy of his favorite book on leadership.
During this year’s session, California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues President and CEO as well as 2019 Herb Wegner Memorial Award recipient Diana Dykstra offered her reflections on the credit union philosophy at the Richard Myles Johnson Colloquium in Credit Union Philosophy held July 17. Her address challenged students to “think big, start small and scale fast.”
The graduates also had classes from credit union leaders including a course on credit union innovation by Mark Meyer, president and CEO of the Filene Research Institute and 1999 WCMS graduate; and a course on regulation and political advocacy by Scott Simpson, president and CEO of Utah’s Credit Unions; as well as award-winning faculty from college and MBA institutions across southern California, including Claremont Graduate University, Pomona College, and UCLA. More information on faculty and curriculum can be found at www.wcmspomona.org.
Shirley Cate, president and CEO of Providence Federal Credit Union in Oregon, received this year’s James D. Likens Alumni Recognition Award for significant achievements in the credit union field since graduating from the school. In presenting the award, WCMS Alumni Association President Robert York noted the 1998 WCMS graduate’s work as chair of the Northwest Credit Union Association board of directors from 2007 to 2010, and her involvement in the creation of a credit union service organization, CU Apps, that provides affordable, customizable mobile banking technology solutions to credit unions throughout the industry.
This year, for only the eighth time in WCMS’s six-decade history, a student graduated with “Highest Honors.” Eight additional students graduated with “High Honors,” and ten students graduated with “Honors.” These distinctions were earned based on each student’s performance on the examinations taken by all students at the end of each school year and for their analysis in each of their two major research projects— based on their credit union—completed between sessions.
Monica Cosentino-Benedict of Partners Federal Credit Union in California graduated with “Highest Honors” for receiving high honors in all three examinations and two projects.
Students graduating with “High Honors” were: Carol Beniger, Montana; Craig D. Budge, Utah; Kelsey Esqueda, Oregon; Gregory E. Malmedal, Arizona; Sara Ott, Colorado; Erin Pearson, Washington; Tiffany Ann Pillars, Oregon; and Clint Seader, California.
Students graduating with “Honors” were: Mark Castro, California; Leah Friedenberg-Corning, Arizona; Tyler W. Holbrook, Oregon; Ryan Matthew McGrady, Hawaii; Brice Mindrum, Utah; Jason Daniel Royce, Idaho; Stephanie L. Strimling, Oregon; Jennifer Marie Topzand, California; Aaron Vallely, Hawaii; and Corinn Wohl, Washington.
Sara Ott of Canvas Credit Union in Colorado received the Rick Craig Prize for Excellence in Project II recognizing excellence in the second-year project, an endeavor that usually takes each student more than 200 hours to complete.
In addition, every year the graduating student who best represents high moral character, leadership, credit union dedication, and academic achievement is nominated by his or her class to receive the Charles M. Clark Memorial Award. This year’s recipient was Deanne Figueras of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, who was described by her classmates as being dedicated to “the success of each individual;” “inclusive to all;” “living and breathing credit unions;” “enthusiastic and dependable;” and “kind, willing, and inspirational.”
While a service-learning objective is present for all WCMS classes, the Rho class particularly focused their class events on service in the local community, including a bike build for kids and a donation bag drive for a community charity. In her acceptance, Figueras thanked those who had supported her attendance at WCMS and encouraged her Rho peers to continue the class’s focus on service: “I thank you so much. I’ve dedicated my life to all of this, and I love all of this so much. I just hope we continue as a class to serve people.”
This year’s graduating class continued with the long-standing tradition of paying it forward to future leaders and giving back to WCMS funds it earned in service-learning activities. Its class gift of $25,000 represents the total raised over the past three years in Rho- and tri-class-led efforts.
Western CUNA Management School Commencement Speaker Brett Martinez, a 1994 WCMS graduate and Redwood CU president and CEO, addresses the school’s 2019 graduating class.
For more than 60 years, Western CUNA Management School has helped credit union management staff meet the challenges of the future. WCMS is the West Coast-based leadership and philosohical institution for current and future credit union leaders, preparing individuals with the depth and breadth they need to contribute to their credit union’s success, the credit union movement, and their own personal career goals.
Nancy Wood
Director of School Administration
Western CUNA Management School (WCMS)
1-909-212-6059
nancyw@wcmspomona.org
