NextGen Leaders: Ryan Manis

Ryan Manis
Regional Branch Manager
$355 million Kohler Credit Union  
Kohler, Wis.
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Watch Ryan’s CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec video

Give us the elevator speech about your project (as in how would you describe your project to someone you meet in an elevator?):
I am working on a financial wellness project that truly benefits the needs of our membership. At Kohler CU we have made financial health and well-being a top priority. I have been an instrumental part of creating the financial check-up program by rolling out a training series that ensures our staff is knowledgeable and prepared to help others achieve their ultimate financial goals. From managing, growing, and protecting your finances, we now have the recommendations and expertise to help our members feel better about where they are financially and help them visualize and believe in their financial dreams. From saving money to making your money work for you, we have the ‘Rx’ that the doctor ordered.

Online voters and a panel of past finalists narrowed the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec field from 20 to the Top 15 applicants. The challenge, held in conjunction with DDJ Myers and administered by Currency, searches for emerging leaders age 35 and under from within the credit union industry.

The Top 15 will blog about their project.  And to provide additional value to the competition experience, they’ll each receive an executive coaching session from DDJ Myers, a CUES Supplier member and strategic provider. 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 five finalists.

The five finalists will receive additional coaching, airfare, accommodation and registration to CUES’ CEO/Executive Team Network™, Nov. 8-11 in Scottsdale, Ariz., where they will give their final presentations. The 2015 CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec will receive further coaching, airfare, accommodation and registration for two CUES’ CEO Institutes, a total prize package valued at $20,000

What is your long-term career goal?
My career goal has always been simple: to continue to help at least one person every day. Long term, I dream of being a CEO of a credit union so I can continue not only to help people on a daily basis, but share my passion and vision for making a difference by keeping the credit union culture alive and thriving.

Fill in the dots: The future of credit unions will be bright if ...
… we stick to our seven cooperative principle roots and focus on the needs of our current and future credit union members.

What my generation brings to the credit union movement is …
… the ability to change and easily adapt to new ideas. Being born in the age of technology has allowed my generation the capacity to reach a much wider audience with the click of a button. With technology at our fingertips, we are just getting started with the evolution of the credit union industry.

People consider me a leader because…
… I lead by example with a hands-on approach. There isn’t a task that I ask of my team members that I wouldn’t do myself.

Who is your hero and why?
My Papa! People may tend to select well-known leaders such as Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr., but for me, my grandfather had every quality a hero should. He taught me the importance of hard work and dedication. As an executive for the YMCA, William Manis focused on the members. He knew everybody by name and took the time to turn their dreams into realities. He taught me to listen, be genuine in my approach, be curious, have fun, and find your passion! Well, that passion has been found, and I want to someday impact as many people as he did. I will forever be his No. 1 fan.

Who is a must-follow on Twitter?
@KohlerCU to keep updated on all the exciting news that Kohler Credit Union brings daily of course!

Does your credit union have Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/Pinterest/LinkedIn/Instagram other social media accounts?
Facebook 
Twitter 
YouTube 
LinkedIn

What is your favorite CUES member benefit? Or, if you are a new CUES NextGen member, what benefit are you most looking forward to using?
What I am looking most forward to is CUES Net and webinars to keep up on industry news and the ever-changing landscape of financials.

CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec team