Ryan Suttles named 2025 CUES Emerging Leader
Ryan Suttles, 2025 CUES Emerging Leader
Ryan Suttles. Real Estate Specialist II, State Employees’ Credit Union, Raleigh, NC, has been named the 2025 CUES Emerge winner.
As one of five finalists, Suttles’ journey began when he was selected into the CUES Emerge program early in 2025. From there, attendees engaged in live online courses and Mastermind sessions, creating project ideas and developing business cases, which were later reviewed by a panel of judges. On October 1, Suttles and the four other finalists presented their projects live during an online pitch show. The event was hosted by Tim McAlpine, CEO of Currency Marketing.
Suttles’ winning business case, The Pipeline-Centered Mortgage Dashboard, outlines an innovative mortgage process that improves employee efficiency and member transparency.
As the winner, Suttles earned a free registration to attend CUES Advanced Management Program and a leadership assessment and coaching from Envision Excellence, an executive coaching and leadership development organization.
Two runners-up
Two other finalists, Jennifer Dray, Director, Sales & Coaching, YNCU, Kitchener, ON, and Jessica Smith, AVP, Remote Experience, Unitus Community Credit Union, Portland, OR, were named as runners-up.
Each runner-up earned a 50% scholarship to attend CUES Advanced Management Program delivered online from Cornell University. Additionally, Dray and Smith each earned leadership assessments and coaching from Envision Excellence, an executive coaching and leadership development organization.
The other Finalists taking part in the online pitch show were Latica Battle, Market Manager, Ardent Credit Union, Philadelphia, PA, and Charles Bond, Senior Product Specialist, Elevations Credit Union, Boulder, CO.
Jennifer Dray, 1st Runner Up
Jessica Smith, 2nd Runner Up
Watch the Videos
OUR FANTASTIC FINALISTS
After a rigorous business case judging process, the five finalists for the 2025 CUES Emerge Live Pitch Show were named.
Our 2025 Cohort
In the Spring of 2025, 36 talented young credit union executives from around the world were selected to take part in the CUES Emerge Education Phase.
Masterminds
The 2025 CUES Emerge Masterminds offered guidance and support to program participants by leveraging their industry expertise and past program experience.
