Fifteen CUES® Next Top Credit Union Exec Applicants Advance

Public voting has ended and CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec (NTCUE) has announced its Top 15 applicants for 2017. The NTCUE competition–held in partnership with DDJ Myers and powered by Currency–searches for emerging leaders age 35 and under from within the credit union industry.

“We were pleased to have had 210 worthy young credit union leaders nominated for this, our eighth year of competition. Of those nominated, nineteen applied by submitting an entry video,” said John Pembroke, CUES’ president/CEO. “After putting the nineteen applicants to a public vote, we were delighted to see the votes flood in; we had well over 2,500 votes this year.”

The top 10 vote-getters automatically advanced to the Top 15 phase, and five additional applicants were chosen by a special judging panel of former NTCUE finalists to round out the Top 15.

Named to the Top 15 in the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec competition are:

  • Michael Bishop, 35, Vice President-Branch Experience, Salal Credit Union, Seattle, Washington, United States
  • Daniel Bradshaw, 35, Business Development Officer, Marion Community Credit Union, Marion, Ohio, United States
  • Geoff Bullock, 33, Financial Education Specialist, Firefly Credit Union, Burnsville, Minnesota, United States
  • Sandra Cano, 33, AVP Community Development, Navigant Credit Union, Smithfield, Rhode Island, United States
  • Derek Fuzzell, 31, Vice President-Finance, Northwest FCU, Herndon, Virginia, United States
  • Josh Gelser, 31, Strategic Project Manager, DuPont Community Credit Union, Waynesboro, Virginia, United States
  • Jonathan LaBarge, 31, Assistant Branch Manager, ORNL Federal Credit Union, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States
  • Daniel Marquez, 26, Member Services Supervisor/Fundraising Coordinator, LINCONE FCU, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
  • Brandon McAdams, 34, VP, Marketing and Product Development, Coastal Credit Union, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
  • Lindsey McMillen, 32, Business Systems Analyst, Y-12 Federal Credit Union, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States
  • Amanda Munier, 32, VP of Accounting & IT, White Crown FCU, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Crystal Rocchio, 34, Assistant Manager, Long Reach FCU, Middlebourne, West Virginia, United States
  • Kandi Thiry, 34, Branch Manager, PCM Credit Union, Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States
  • Jessica Vartanian, 34, VP Project Implementation and Impact, Red Rocks CU, Littleton, Colorado, United States
  • Taylor Yezek, 26, Corporate Communications Coordinator, Collins Community Credit Union, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States

The Top 15 will now submit a blog post update about their project to NextTopCreditUnionExec.com. To provide additional value to the competition experience, they’ll each receive an executive coaching session from DDJ Myers, a Silver CUESolutions provider for their succession planning, executive recruitment and leadership coaching services. A judging panel of two CUES members and Deedee Myers of DDJ Myers will then score the Top 15’s applications and blog posts, narrowing the competition to the Final Five, who will move on to the finals.

The five Finalists will receive additional coaching, airfare, accommodation and registration to CUES’ CEO/Executive Team Network™, October 10-12 in Las Vegas, where they will give their final presentations. The winner will receive further coaching, airfare, accommodations and registration for two CUES’ CEO Institutes, a total prize package valued at $20,000.

To follow along with the next stages of the competition, visit NextTopCreditUnionExec.com.

CUES is a Madison, Wisconsin-based, independent, not-for-profit, international membership association for credit union executives. CUES’ mission is to educate and develop credit union CEOs, directors and future leaders.

Currency is a credit union-focused marketing firm. Our unique programs—It’s a Money Thing, Young & Free and Next Top Credit Union Exec—focus on helping credit unions raise awareness, build relationships and foster financial empowerment with young adults.

Based in Phoenix, Ariz., DDJ Myers is a Silver CUESolutions provider for their succession planning, executive recruitment and leadership coaching services, offers executive recruitment, strategic organization, and customized leadership programs.

2017 Competition, UpdateCUES Next Top Credit Union Exec Team