Looking for resources to aid your leadership development? CUYLM’s Learning Commons is a collection of resources curated by the CUYLM Executive Committee. The Learning Commons contains recommendations for books, articles, podcasts, videos and more on a wide variety of topics.

October 2024 Update:

We’ve added new resources! The theme of this update is increasing focus, memory and concentration to improve your performance as a leader. See what’s new below.

Podcasts:

• The School of Greatness: How Your Brain is Hurting or Helping Your Relationships, Memory and Life

• Dare to Lead: Finding Focus and Owning Your Attention

• WorkLife: How to Remember Anything

• Huberman Lab: Understand & Improve Memory Using Science-Based Tools

• Huberman Lab: Boost Attention & Memory with Science-Based Tools

• Huberman Lab: How Meditation Works & Science-Based Effective Meditations

• Huberman Lab: Focus Toolkit

Videos:

• All It Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes - TED Talk by Andy Puddicombe

• The Art of Focus - TEDx Talk by Christina Bengtsson

• What Makes Some Brains More Focused Than Others? - TEDx Talk by Marvin Chun

• How To Get Your Brain to Focus - TEDx Talk by Chris Bailey

• Feats of Memory Anyone Can Do - TED Talk by Joshua Foer

• How Your Memory Works, and Why Forgetting is Totally OK - TED Talk by Lisa Genova

Articles:

• Focus: The Ultimate Guide on How to Improve Focus and Concentration - James Clear

• 14 Tips to Improve Your Concentration - Crystal Raypole (Healthline)

• Mending Memory - Rachel Adelson (American Psychological Association)

• An Effortless Way to Improve Your Memory - David Robson (BBC)

Jackie Shoemaker

Branch Manager, Westoba Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2010

In high school, Jackie never thought she would one day work in the financial services industry. She was interested in social work because she wanted to help people and felt she could make a difference in people’s lives.

Jackie ended up starting a family earlier than she anticipated which kept her drawn to her community and her career in social work never came to fruition.

Jackie began her career in the credit union system as a Member Services Representative (MSR) at Westoba Credit Union and loved every aspect of it. Helping members with their day-to-day banking needs and customer service was exactly where she wanted to be.

After six years in her role as MSR, Jackie decided to learn about lending and credit. She worked as a Financial Consultant for two years before taking on the role of Financial Consultant Supervisor. Supervising people was not new to her, as she was a supervisor at a previous place of employment, but it was an opportunity to develop her skills and help others learn new skills too. Jackie says she finds it rewarding to empower others to strive to be their best.

Jackie later moved into the role of Assistant Branch Manager. She has been in her current role of Branch Manager for three years. Jackie believes that being able to work in all roles at the branch level helped shape who she is today and gave her the confidence to lead a team.

Today, Jackie says she is thankful for the opportunity to join the credit union system. She is passionate about what she does and is able to make a difference in people’s lives, helping them achieve their financial dreams and equipping them with financial advice. “Things happen for a reason," she always says. 

A typical day:

Jackie says every day is different, as she alternates between branches. Whether it's one-on-one coaching, team meetings, member appointments or business development, she says every day is filled with purpose. Jackie says her team loves to volunteer and give back to the communities, so some weeks they are out in the community helping at events and building relationships with their members and businesses.

Continuous learning and improvement:

To ensure she is continuously learning and improving, Jackie says to “chase the learning”, and that our learning is never done. She believes in the importance of embracing change in a past-faced environment and world, and that good things can come from change. Jackie says not to be afraid of making mistakes, as they are learning opportunities for us. She encourages everyone to join working groups or committees in their organization to learn about other departments or opportunities within their organization, and to be curious. She says the more you learn and develop yourself, the more you can help others do the same. Jackie is thankful her organization has many working groups, such as the Emerging Leaders and Diversity Equity & Inclusion groups, and she is fortunate to be part of both.

Keys to success:

Jackie says she’s had great mentors and leaders in her time in the credit union system who contributed to her success. Also important is going out of her comfort zone, and to keep doing hard things. She surrounds herself with positive people.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

• Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist

• The Power of Letting Go by John Purkiss

• The Emotionally Strong Leader: An Inside-Out Journey to Transformational Leadership by Carolyn Stern

Guiding principles:

• Volunteer and give back to your community, even if it's by doing something small.

• Be a role model to our youth, they are our future leaders.

• Treat others the way you want to be treated.

• Prioritize self-care, because if you don't fill your own cup, you can't help others fill theirs.

• Be open to diversity and inclusion. The world is a better place when we are inclusive.

In April, young leaders from across the Manitoba credit union system gathered for CUYLM’s 2024 conference—a transformative event designed to explore leadership concepts and provide valuable networking opportunities within the system.

As part of our commitment to continuous growth and learning, a survey was conducted among attendees to capture their experiences, challenges, and aspirations within the credit union system.

The results are both inspiring and insightful, shedding light on the unique journeys of our emerging leaders. We are excited to share some of the key findings from this survey below. These insights not only highlight the collective strengths and areas for improvement, but also pave the way for future initiatives aimed at empowering the next generation of credit union leaders.

Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn to learn about upcoming CUYLM initiatives and our Executive Committee recruitment this fall. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us.

Looking for resources to aid your leadership development? CUYLM’s Learning Commons is a collection of resources curated by the CUYLM Executive Committee. The Learning Commons contains recommendations for books, articles, podcasts, videos and more on a wide variety of topics.

September 2024 Update:

We’ve added new resources! The theme of this update is the importance of sleep. Sleep is critical for our physical and mental well-being, and the quality of our sleep can influence our effectiveness as leaders.

Books:

• Why We Sleep - Matthew Walker

Podcasts:

• The Matt Walker Podcast

• Sleep With Me: The Podcast That Puts You To Sleep

• Nothing Much Happens

• Huberman Lab: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep

• Huberman Lab: Master Your Sleep & Be More Alert When Awake

• Huberman Lab: Sleep Toolkit - Tools For Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing

• Science Vs.: Sleep - All Aboard the Snooze Cruise!

• Feel Better, Live More: How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep, The Very Best Tips on Sleep

Looking for resources to aid your leadership development? CUYLM’s Learning Commons is a collection of resources curated by the CUYLM Executive Committee. The Learning Commons contains recommendations for books, articles, podcasts, videos and more on a wide variety of topics.

August 2024 Update:

We’ve added new resources! The theme of this update is building habits that will help you achieve your goals.

Books:

• The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg

• Atomic Habits - James Clear

Podcasts:

• Habits 2 Goals: The Habit Factor, with Martin Grunburg

• Habits On Purpose: Helping Women Create Lifelong Habit Change, with Kristi Angevine

• Changing Habits - Changing Lives, with Azzy Aslam

Michelle Dupuis

VP, Strategy & Governance, Access Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2018

In high school, Michelle wanted to be a lawyer, investigative journalist, or marketing consultant. Leading up to her career in the credit union system, she worked in a variety of industries and roles including restaurant/hospitality, financial services, call centre management, and aerospace program management. She has worked in the area of governance, risk and strategy in the credit union system for 6 years.

A typical day:

A typical day for Michelle involves:

• Reviewing, researching, and writing documents for Executive Management/the Board

• Measuring progress towards strategic objectives

• Interacting and collaborating with internal stakeholders on strategic initiatives/progress updates

• Receiving updates on work progress/milestones

• Coaching team members

• Assessing and adjusting governance and project structures

• Evaluating, monitoring, and communicating priorities

Continuous learning and improvement:

Michelle’s keys to ensuring she is continuously learning and improving are to:

• Read

• Engage others in conversation, genuinely listen, be curious

• Read (purposely duplicated)

• Put herself in situations outside of her comfort zone

• Attend conferences

• Take courses

• Set goals and measure progress

• Seek out different opinions and perspectives; ask a lot of questions

Keys to success:

Michelle says the biggest contributing factor to her success is mindset.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Books:

• 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, by Dr. Jordan B. Peterson

• Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ, by Daniel Goleman

• Lives of the Stoics (The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius), by Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman

• Meditations (A New Translation), by Marcus Aurelius

• Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor E. Frankl

• Mindset: How You Can Fulfil Your Potential, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph. D

• Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, by Dr. Peter Attia

• Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution, by Brené Brown, Ph. D, MSW

• Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin

• The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement, by David Brooks

• The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, by Ryan Holiday

Podcasts:

• Modern Wisdom (Chris Williamson)

• The Lex Fridman Podcast

• The Joe Rogan Experience

• The Huberman Lab

• The Mel Robbins Podcast

Courses:

• Certificate in Leadership Development (QNET Manitoba, Instructor: Linton Sellen)

Mentors/Relationships:

• Cultivate as many as possible!

Guiding principles:

Michelle’s guiding principles are:

• Wisdom – be rational, use discretion, be resourceful, make informed decisions

• Justice – be honest, be fair, act with integrity

• Courage – cultivate resilience, show confidence, face fears, be cheerful, be conscientious, put diligence and energy into all tasks

• Temperance – be disciplined, be modest, practice self-control, practice gratitude

“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” - Marcus Aurelius, Mediations

Carissa Dicks

Member Services Manager, Flin Flon Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2022

In high school, Carissa wanted to become an architect and design homes. In 2008, she began working with Elite Communications, a Bell MTS store, as a Communications Consultant. When she went on maternity leave in 2010, she left Flin Flon, and was a stay-at-home mom for a period before returning to Flin Flon and Elite Communications. She was promoted to Store Manager in 2015. In 2021, Carissa went on maternity leave again. When it was time for her to return to work, an opportunity at Flin Flon Credit Union arose. She started as a Member Services Representative (MSR) in 2022 and was promoted to Senior MSR in 2023. In 2024, Carissa accepted her current role of Member Services Manager. Carissa says she is excited for her future with Flin Flon Credit Union.

A typical day:

Carissa says no two days are the same. This is something she learned quickly in her current role. Her day usually begins in the vault with the MSRs to hold a treasury. She plans the tasks for the day with the MSRs and then begins her daily to-do lists. Throughout the day, she assists MSRs, helps on the frontline when needed and makes herself available to the credit union membership.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Throughout her career at Flin Flon Credit Union, Carissa has taken advantage of any training opportunities available so she can continue to learn and develop her skills. She is currently enrolled in a Canadian Securities Institute course on mutual funds.

Keys to success:

Carissa says having the support of management that see the best in her and want her to succeed has been a major factor contributing to her success, and she comes to work every day with a positive attitude.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Carissa recommends:

• Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

• Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't by Simon Sinek

Guiding principles:

Carissa’s guiding principles are:

• Attitude – Carissa believes having a positive attitude sets the tone for your day.

• Adaptability - Being able to react well to change, both in professional and personal settings.

• Responsibility - You have to take responsibility for your actions. Mistakes happen, take ownership. You cannot learn from mistakes if you don't make them.

Looking for resources to aid your leadership development? CUYLM’s Learning Commons is a collection of resources curated by the CUYLM Executive Committee. The Learning Commons contains recommendations for books, articles, podcasts, videos and more on a wide variety of topics.

July 2024 Update:

We’ve added new resources! The theme of this update is improving work well-being and optimizing your workspace. See what’s new below.

Podcasts:

• Huberman Lab: Optimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus & Creativity

• Huberman Lab: Improve Flexibility with Research-Supported Stretching Protocols

Articles:

• 5 Science-Based Steps to Improve Your Workspace

• Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)

• 20 Ways to Become More Productive

• 9 Desk Stretches for People Who Sit All Day

• Benefits of Stretching at Work

Darren Heide

VP, Enterprise Risk Management, Access Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2011

In high school Darren aspired to be an engineer. After taking a variety of courses in his first year of university, he changed direction to business school which ultimately led him to financial services.

Darren joined Access as an Agricultural and Commercial Account Manager after spending a number of years working in the Ag industry. After a year, he took a chance at a term position as a Human Resources Generalist. He really enjoyed HR and the term position transitioned to the Manager of Human Resources role. Darren was in HR for eight years before transitioning into Risk as the Director, Risk & Compliance. This position then evolved into his current role of VP, Enterprise Risk Management. Darren says he is fortunate to have gained experience from different areas of the business, which he feels provides valuable insight and skills that he is able to utilize in his current role and any future roles.

A typical day:

Darren says every day is a new adventure in the world of risk. He plans for and meets regularly with his own and other departments on various initiatives and challenges and provides advice on escalated issues. He provides feedback on proposals, business cases and reports, as well as conducts analysis and writes his own reports. He may need to respond to or support another employee in responding to an issue, evaluate controls, and help implement solutions to prevent or reduce the likelihood of the issue occurring again. Darren also stays informed of changes to the internal and external environment to identify, evaluate, manage, and monitor risk to ensure objectives are being met.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Darren likes to keep an open mind and step outside of his comfort zone to keep learning and growing both personally and professionally, such as joining different boards, coaching sports, training in jiu-jitsu and becoming a mentor. He has also completed numerous post-secondary programs and strives to complete at least one course each year.

Keys to success:

Darren says the biggest contributing factor to his success is a great support network of family, co-workers and mentors who have encouraged and challenged him.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Darren finds value in staying up to date on current events by following a number of different news sites and then viewing the stories from the lens of his interest, which in his case is around risk. He is also a fan of Reddit and has found some good communities with like-minded interests with different points of view. He says there are a lot of great resources available, and his overall recommendation is to read, listen and engage others in a topic of interest and keep an open mind as you seek to understand the views and experiences of others.

Guiding principles:

Darren’s guiding principles are:

• Do good - make a positive difference in the world

• Be better - always strive for self-improvement

• Own it - take the initiative and responsibility for your situation and your future

• Move forward - you can't change the past so focus on changing the future

Angel McKay

Policy and Procedure Administrator, Me-Dian Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2020

Angel always wanted to be a teacher. After high school, she earned her Educational Assistant Diploma from Red River College. She planned to continue her studies to eventually become a teacher, but things didn’t work out as expected. Long story short, the pandemic occurred, her place of employment shut down and her studies came to a halt.

Angel found herself in search of a new career path which led her to apply for the role of Member Service Representative at Me-Dian Credit Union, an Indigenous credit union. As a First Nation member of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, Me-Dian Credit Union’s values aligned closely with Angel’s passion to serve her Indigenous community while being a role model for Indigenous youth. This led to a rewarding career in the credit union system.

Angel worked her way through different positions on the frontline and the lending department, and eventually into her current position as a Policy and Procedure Administrator.

A typical day:

For Angel, a typical day involves collaborating with department leads to create systems that improve workplace efficiency and simplify learning. She takes all the valuable knowledge of subject matter experts and puts it into easy-to-follow processes.

Secondly, as Chair of the Social Committee and Vice-Chair of the Me-Dian Credit Union Young Leaders committee, Angel typically has projects on the go that involve financial literacy, community involvement, team building and personal or professional development.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Angel ensures she is continuously learning and improving by keeping an open mind and asking questions. She loves to collaborate with others to gain new insights and perspectives.

Keys to success:

Angel’s key to success is to keep doing hard things (even if they feel scary). She says this is a great reminder that we are capable of so much more than we think.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Angel recommends The Mindset Mentor podcast.

Guiding principles:

Angel is driven by her desire to make a different in her Indigenous community and being a role model for Indigenous youth.

Mike Csversko

Business Development & Marketing Manager, Fusion Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2004

In high school, Mike wanted to become an equities trader.

He began his career in the credit union system in 2004 on the Board of Directors at Dauphin Plains Credit Union.

He remained on the board through the amalgamation of Roblin Credit Union, Ethelbert Credit Union, and Dauphin Plains Credit Union that created Catalyst Credit Union. Later, Catalyst Credit Union and Vanguard Credit Union amalgamated to form Fusion Credit Union. Mike served on the Board of Directors for Fusion Credit Union until 2021, at which time he became an employee.

A typical day:

Mike says there are no typical days. His day might include project management work, meetings with members or potential members, negotiating with vendors and media, or collaborating with Fusion’s marketing team to fulfill their calendar objectives.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Mike’s strategy is to ask questions and stay curious. He also sets aside time to read or watch appropriate programs.

Keys to success:

Mike says the biggest contributing factor to his success is that he’s driven by personal and organizational success.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Mike says there are many great books, articles or other publications and his recommendation is to just read in general. There are valuable takeaways to be found in all literature.

Guiding principles:

Have fun!

Lisa Memryk

Loan Clerk, Sunrise Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2015

In high school, Lisa wanted to become a counsellor so she could help and support people, but life had other plans. Working in customer service, Lisa found she was still able to help people, just in different aspects of their lives.

Lisa worked in the retail industry for almost ten years before moving on to the financial industry. Customer service played a significant role in her life and is what brought her into the credit union system. She started her credit union career at Strathclair Credit Union in March of 2015 as an MSR and has been working as a Loans Clerk for Sunrise Credit Union for nearly four years.

A typical day:

Lisa says her day always starts with prioritizing her tasks, and she is an advocate for making lists for everything. There are many moving parts in her role, so she finds writing out her plan for the day ensures she allots enough time to get things done. Of course, other tasks pop up and she must adjust her day accordingly. Lisa says she enjoys how no day is the same and she can always count on learning something new. Some of the main things she does daily are preparing documents, auditing, and disbursing loans.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Lisa says, “do not be afraid to make mistakes, because they can turn out to be some of your best learning opportunities”. She is a firm believer in embracing change. It can be daunting, but change is good. She likes to learn from others, including colleagues in the same role and others throughout the whole organization. Lisa says the more she learns and develops herself, the more she’s able to help others do the same.

Keys to success:

Lisa says her keys to success are:

• Surrounding herself with great people.

• Support from friends and family and their belief in her when she didn’t always believe in herself.

• Having managers who encouraged, pushed and guided her.

• Reminding herself that it is ok to not know the answer to the problem, but to have the drive to find the solution.

• Staying true to herself and always being unapologetically herself.

Recommended reading for young leaders:

Lisa recommends 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna West.

Guiding principles:

Lisa’s guiding principles are:

• Accountability – taking what you did and owning it, good or bad.

• Change is good – we often fear the unknown, but we can’t learn and grow without it.

• You get what you give.

CUYLM's 2024 Conference Find Your Why: Contextualizing Leadership will take place on Thursday, April 25 (10:00 AM - 4:30 PM) and Friday, April 26 (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM) at the Norwood Hotel in Winnipeg.

The conference is designed exclusively for young leaders (age 40 and under) in the Manitoba credit union system.

We’re very excited to welcome international public speaker Jennifer Barroll (a.k.a. Jenny B), local leadership consultants from Homefield People & Strategy, and CEO of Credit Union Central of Manitoba, Curtis Wennberg! In addition to our interactive program, an exclusive networking event will take place on Thursday evening at the Norwood Hotel beginning at 7:00 PM.

We’re also pleased to offer professional headshots on Thursday morning at no additional cost, which will be optional for conference attendees. 

Visit our conference page for more information. Deadline to register is Friday, April 5, 2024.

Hello Young/Emerging Leaders,

The Credit Union Young Leaders of Manitoba (CUYLM) Executive Team invites you to be part of our 2024 Mentorship Program which facilitates formal mentorship relationships between credit union employees across Manitoba. The program’s goal is to create opportunities for young/emerging leaders to connect with mentors to strengthen and build connections, deepen their networks, develop leadership skills, as well as share knowledge and experiences.

Are you a young/emerging leader in your credit union? Are you self-driven to engage in a mentoring relationship? Are you seeking mentorship as part of your development journey? Then you are encouraged to apply to become a mentee.

All mentors are leaders in the Manitoba credit union system, many of whom have previously served on the CUYLM Executive Team. Collectively, the mentors have experience in a wide range of areas.

Important Dates:

• Now until March 6: Application Period

• March 15 to November 30: Mentorship Period

Learn More & Apply

The application process is now open. Please visit the Mentorship Program page on our website to learn more or go directly to the Application Form. Deadline to apply is March 6, 2024.

Questions

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

CUYLM Executive Team

Bill Dinsdale

Senior Commercial Account Manager – Not for Profit Specialist, Assiniboine Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2004

After eight years as a golf professional, Bill began his career in banking. He started as a member service representative for three months, then slowly worked his way up into other roles in the branch. An opportunity to move into a commercial trainee role opened up, which he jumped at. After four years of doing strictly commercial lending, he was able to join the Community Financial Centre at Assiniboine Credit Union, which was created to assist non-profits, start-ups, co-ops, and social enterprises. This is where he has spent the last 11 years of his career.

A typical day:

On a typical day, Bill may meet with a non-profit housing organization that is looking to build a new apartment block. A big part of his role is to provide advice to members. They will have a goal, but may not know how to best structure the lending to meet that goal, which is where Bill comes in. Bill says every day is different, and you may have a plan for your day, but a member issue may cause that to change. They may need troubleshooting or want a quick chat to update Bill on a key staffing change in their organization. Bill loves the variety and the ability to assist ACU’s members with finding solutions.

Continuous learning and improvement:

In Bill’s opinion, it starts with attitude. He says he will never be done learning in his role. Secondly, he looks for mentors within his company and soaks up as much information as possible from them. He says he has been lucky to have several great mentors over the years.

Keys to success:

Bill says his key to success is a willingness to stretch out of his comfort zone and learn new things.

Recommended reading for young leaders:

Bill recommends the book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. While it was first published in 1936, he says the key takeaways are still as relevant as they were then. Three that stand out to him are:

• Listen

• Sincerely make the other person feel important

• Show genuine interest in others

Guiding principles:

Bill’s guiding principles are:

• Member focused: Members are the reason the credit union exists. Bill is always working towards win-win solutions for members.

• Accountability: Be accountable to your employer and your members as well.

65 young leaders from credit unions across Manitoba gathered at Stride Place, Portage la Prairie on Thursday, September 21 for CUYLM’s 2023 think tank. This event concluded our four-part series on Exploring Generational Dynamics in the Credit Union System.

In three webinars leading up to this event, participants learned about generational dynamics and characteristics, including commonalities and differences within generational demographics, how different generations of co-workers approach work and career, the dynamics among our members and their life stage needs, and more.

The aim of the think tank was to discuss what we’ve learned through the webinar series and how we can apply these learnings to attraction and retention strategies for staff and members.

Participants split into groups that were each given a unique case study to consider, and the groups brainstormed actionable strategies and solutions we could implement today. The case studies sparked many thought-provoking discussions and questions and challenged young leaders to think about how we can drive change within our own credit unions. The groups then each presented their solutions and insights to the other participants.

Following the event, the CUYLM Executive Committee compiled key insights and takeaways into a summary document that we distributed to all participants. We encourage young leaders to share and discuss these takeaways within their credit unions. For more information about the summary document, please contact us.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this series. We hope you found it as informative as we did! 

In the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and unity, Credit Union Young Leaders of Manitoba continued our profoundly meaningful journey this year dedicated to truth and reconciliation. We believe that true change begins with understanding and acknowledging the past, and this commitment led us to the doors of the National Indigenous Residential School Museum in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.

The visit was nothing short of enlightening. We had the distinct honor of sitting down with an Elder who is a survivor of the Residential School system, and their wisdom and insights left an indelible mark on all of us. The Elder, with grace and resilience, shared their experiences, allowing us to delve into the history that still reverberates in the lives of Indigenous communities today.

The immersive experience that unfolded over two hours was incredibly eye-opening. As we listened to the Elder's stories, we were transported to a different era, where the echoes of the past were keenly felt. The vivid narratives provided a glimpse into the pain, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of those who had been through unimaginable hardships. 

This visit was not only a moment of learning but also a heartfelt pledge to continue our efforts toward truth and reconciliation. It serves as a reminder that the road to understanding and healing is ongoing. At CUYLM, we remain committed to fostering a more inclusive and empathetic society, one that acknowledges the past while building a brighter future.

We recognize that our role as young leaders is not only about seeking change but also about becoming catalysts for it. This visit has strengthened our resolve to work towards a more equitable and unified tomorrow.

We express our deepest gratitude to the National Indigenous Residential School Museum and the Elder who shared their story with us. We also thank our fellow members for their openness, curiosity, and commitment to this journey.

As we move forward, let this experience be a beacon of inspiration. Let us carry the lessons learned during our visit with us, as we strive for a more compassionate and harmonious society, embracing the path of truth and reconciliation.

Archana Krishnan,
Vice-Chair, Credit Union Young Leaders of Manitoba

To learn about the National Indigenous Residential Museum, please visit National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada Inc. (nirsmuseum.ca)

Pictured below: CUYLM Executive Committee 2023. To learn about the committee, please visit our Executive Committee page.

CUYLM Executive Committee 2023

Calling All Young Leaders!

Credit Union Young Leaders of Manitoba is recruiting for positions on the CUYLM Executive Committee to serve 3-year terms starting January 2024.  

Are you interested in being a part of a team that:

• Empowers other young leaders to grow and prosper in and for the credit union system?

• Provides a forum for young credit union leaders to share ideas and visions?

• Promotes and encourages opportunities for peer and senior leader networking?

• Increases the visibility of the credit union system to the community?

• Mentors young credit union leaders?

• Collaborates and shares activities with the National Young Leaders Committee?

Have we sparked your interest? Here's a little more info for you...

Your time on the committee will be as valuable and rewarding as you want to make it. The committee provides you with opportunities, and it's up to you to make the most of it!

Here's what to expect at the very least:

• Active participation on an assigned project team to accomplish tasks and goals for the year

• Monthly 1 hour committee video conference call and related prep work

• Approximately two in-person planning sessions with the full committee

• The opportunity to attend networking and development events that may include system conventions, golf tournaments, career fairs, speaking arrangements and more.

• Up to 3-4 committee members are selected to attend these events.

• The opportunity to represent CUYLM at the national conference and/or other system-related events (that may include system conventions and meetings) if you progress into the role of Vice Chair or Chair

• And most importantly, the chance to network and meet other young leaders within the credit union system who have the same passion you do for making positive changes in our system

Are you ready to take the next step? 

To be eligible to apply for a position on the CUYLM Executive Committee, applicants must be:

• Prepared to be fully engaged in committee meetings, in executing our action plans, and during social networking events.

• Age 37 years or less on January 1, 2023

• Have not previously served as a member of the committee

• Attain full support from your direct manager/supervisor

If this sounds like you, please apply on or before November 10, 2023. 

Visit our application page to apply. 

Application Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by the current CUYLM Executive Committee. The committee strives to establish an Executive Committee that is comprised of engaged and active young leaders while also balancing the need for proportionate representation across credit unions, including size and geographical location (rural vs. urban).  

In the instance where there are two candidates who are equally qualified for the position, preference may be given to the candidate whose credit union is not yet represented on the committee. CUYLM strives to be comprised of talented and dedicated members with a diverse mix of expertise, experience, skills, and backgrounds. The skills and backgrounds collectively represented on the committee reflect the diverse nature of our membership and the environment in which the committee operates. 

Questions:

Please contact us if you have any questions.

Julene Toews Dewis

VP People & Culture, Stride Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2005

Start in the financial services industry: 2004

In high school, Julene says she wanted to become a financial planner. She lost her dad suddenly when she was 16 and watched her mom navigate her family’s finances. She realized that having the right advisors in your life at the right time truly makes a world of difference.

After graduating from university, Julene started her career at Portage Credit Union as a lender/mutual fund representative. Shortly after, she moved to Edmonton where she worked in a similar role with Servus Credit Union. While at Servus Credit Union, Julene says they had a wonderful training centre with great facilitators and remembers sitting back, thinking “that’s a super cool job, I want that job”.

When she relocated back to Winnipeg, luck would have it for Julene that Steinbach Credit Union was looking for a trainer to help build their training programs, and she got the job. She spent eight years at Steinbach Credit Union building core training, sales and service and a leadership development programs, and experienced her first taste of leadership as the Employee Development Manager.

When Julene’s son was born, she moved back home to Portage la Prairie. She says the commute to Steinbach was too much, so she decided to stay in the training world but work for herself. She started a consulting company and offered her services to a variety of organizations (and many credit unions). For eight years, Julene designed training programs and workshops and also provided HR support to smaller organizations.

Julene says she loved consulting, but really missed having a team and building an organization from the inside. When Stride Credit Union was looking for a VP of People and Culture to continue building the People and Culture function, she says it felt like the best next step for her. Julene has been with Stride Credit Union for six months, and says it’s been a wonderful team to be a part of.

A typical day:

Julene starts her day prioritizing the items that need to get done. If possible, she likes to do creative work in the morning (designing, planning, strategizing, writing, etc.) and schedule meetings and task-based work for the afternoon. She uses that as a guide to frame her day, but other priorities tend to pop up and throw a wrench into the best laid plans. Julene says she loves variety, so she’s always okay with things popping up – plus, that’s just the life in HR.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Julene loves intentionally learning from others. She has a few mentors she meets with regularly, people who are further down the HR and leadership path who she goes to with questions, ideas, or advice. She also seeks out conferences and workshops that provide her with tools and inspiration and is grateful to work for an organization that supports her desire to learn. She says she loves the JFK quote “leadership and learning are indispensable of each other”. To be a good leader, we must keep learning, and Julene stands by that.

Keys to success:

Juelene says the key to success is great people – coaches who saw potential in her, mentors who pushed her, colleagues who built her up, her family who supported and encouraged her. Julene’s best advice to anyone is to surround yourself with people who make you a better version of yourself.

Recommended reading for young leaders:

Julene recommends The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson. She says it’s an oldie but a goodie, and a great, short overview of keys to helping employees succeed – strong expectations, clear feedback and accountability. She also loves The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni – we think good teams just happen; not true, they are made.

Guiding principles:

Julene’s guiding principles are:

• Pay it forward – give the good fortune you’ve received to others.

• Believe good intention in others until proven otherwise.

• The hardest conversations are often the ones we most need to have – have them and have them respectfully.

• Be open (to new ideas, to feedback, to seeing something a new way).

• Leave this world (your home, your work) better because you’ve been there.

Melissa Rushton

Director of Credit Risk, Fusion Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2005

In high school, Melissa says she was very undecided in her career aspirations. She says she enjoyed school but didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up – and still doesn’t!

Melissa has spent 18 years in the finance industry, 16 years working within the credit union system. Her career path began as a Member Service Representative (term position), and she focused on branch operations and the deposit side of the business.

Melissa then moved into the world of lending. She started as a Loans Clerk and then a Consumer Lender before advancing into commercial and agricultural lending. Next, she moved into management roles (both rural and urban). She began in branch management and then lead a team of agriculture and commercial lenders as the Manager of Business Solutions.

Melissa says progressing through various roles has supported constant growth, development and diversification. Today, she is the Director of Credit Risk, and her focus has shifted to managing the risk, profitability, and efficiency of the entire credit union loan portfolio.

A typical day:

Melissa says she is fortunate that every day looks a little bit different, and she is always experiencing new challenges. Some of the main components of her day may include:

• Adjudication of credit

• Discussions with team members, these may be operational or coaching sessions

• Manage and participate in internal projects

• Credit Recovery and management

• Policy & Procedure Development

Regardless of the day, there are a few constants, such as meetings and email correspondence.

Continuous learning & improvement:

Melissa says she is a big believer in lifelong learning and looks for ways to try new things and be open to what is presented to her. It may be to further her education, it may be leading a project at work or taking on a new task. Or it may be personal, like learning how to ride a motorcycle. She says opening yourself up to new possibilities will ensure you’re always growing.

Keys to success:

Melissa says the biggest contributing factors to her success are the desire to continuously learn, surrounding herself with people that motivate her to be her best, and not being afraid to get out of her comfort zone.

Recommended reading for young leaders:

Melissa recommends The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma. She believes a strong morning routine can really set the tone for your day.

Guiding principles:

Melissa says it's important to keep a positive attitude, engage in regular personal development, and find work life balance. Having time with her husband and their dog, going for a walk, or having a glass of wine is a perfect way to find that balance!