Four traits that have made women great leaders at credit unions

The push for more seats at the executive table continues, as it has for decades, for women across the United States. A recent study by Catalyst.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in corporate leadership, found that although women make up 47% of the U.S. workforce, just 40% hold management roles. The study revealed that a large reason for the disparity is that men are more likely to be promoted to management positions earlier in their careers. Too often, many women across all industries have been shut off from the avenues that would allow them to reach the upper levels of business.

Fortunately, credit unions have stood out as an industry sector leading the way in promoting women to positions of executive leadership. CUNA released an encouraging 2021 report that found women made up 51% of credit union CEOs, and 33% of board members — far ahead of leadership at banks, where men make up 97% of CEO roles. There is much progress for credit unions to celebrate.

As an employee at Ascend Federal Credit Union for 37 years, and the president/CEO since 2004, I’ve been able to see firsthand the many wonderful contributions from women leaders at our organization and beyond. When reflecting on decades spent in the credit union industry, I believe that women historically have thrived in executive roles by exhibiting four traits that have made them great leaders in our field:

 

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