Dr. Archana Krishnan

Manager, Business Intelligence, Stride Credit Union

Career:

Start in the financial services industry: 2018
Start in the credit union system: 2019

In high school, Archana wanted to become a neurosurgeon.

Archana began her career in the financial services industry in 2018 as a part-time Customer Experience Associate at TD Canada Trust. In 2019, she discovered the credit union system via a mutual acquaintance and took a position as a full-time teller at Westoba Credit Union.

Archana held four other positions in her five years with Westoba Credit Union. These include Financial Consultant, Retail Credit Underwriter Administrator II, Business Analyst, Manager Business Process Support.

Earlier in 2024, Archana moved to Stride Credit Union as their Manager of Business Intelligence.

During this journey, Archana had the opportunity to learn from leaders within the system by participating in and Chairing Emerging Leaders of Westoba and Credit Union Young Leaders of Manitoba (CUYLM). She also found immense value in participating in the CUYLM Mentorship Program, CCUA National Mentorship Program, and the National Young Leaders Committee Horizon Program.

A typical day:

Archana loves how versatile her workdays can be and says that Business Intelligence thrives on ambiguity, as it provides the opportunity to discover new paths toward overcoming persistent challenges.

Archana’s day is predominantly focused on gathering data and analyzing it to provide insights and recommendations on strategy to the executives and board. It also involves collaboration with other departments to provide data-based recommendations on improving existing processes and recommendations to align departmental strategy with organizational vision.

Archana also conducts in-depth research to understand what is happening in the market and within the system. She also dedicates time to connect with her team for brainstorming sessions, provide coaching, and connect with her leaders for mentorship.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Archana learns new things regularly via the research she conducts as part of her role. She thrives on learning and is constantly looking for opportunities to challenge herself intellectually. Archana is an avid user of LinkedIn and has found connecting with peers within her field and LinkedIn learning to be a great source of knowledge.

Keys to success:

Archana’s three keys to success are:

• Networking: mentors, coaches, colleagues and sponsors have greatly contributed to her success. Archana always has someone to connect with, be it talking through an issue or seeking guidance for her career. She says the credit unions she has worked for have shown tremendous faith in her and have been personally invested in her success, for which she is eternally grateful.

• Family: Archana’s husband is her biggest supporter and cheerleader! She cannot imagine any success without him.

• Last but not the least, solid hard work. There is no alternative to it.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Books:

• Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

• The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma

• Becoming by Michelle Obama

• Atomic Habits by James Clear

• Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

Movies:

• Hidden Figures

• The Green Book

Podcast:

• The Huberman Lab

Guiding principles:

1. Be kind always, not just to others but to yourself

2. Go where you are celebrated and not tolerated

3. Live in the present

4. For every act of kindness you receive, remember to pay it forward

5. Smile! This too shall pass

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.

December 2024 Update:

We’ve added new resources! The theme of this update is growth mindsets. See what’s new below.

Books:

• Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace & Purpose Every Day - Jay Shetty

• Think Again - Adam Grant

Podcasts:

• Huberman Lab: The Science of Gratitude and How to Build a Gratitude Practice

• Huberman Lab: Dr. Alia Crum: Science of Mindsets for Health & Performance

• Bossed Up: Set Strong Boundaries, Step into Your Power, & Stop People Pleasing

• On Purpose: 6 Ways to Transform a Negative Mindset & How to Overcome Fear and Anxiety

Articles:

• A Summary of Growth and Fixed Mindsets - Carol Dweck

• Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: How What You Think Affects What You Achieve - Jennifer Smith

Videos:

• TED Talk: What Frogs in Hot Water Can Teach Us About Thinking Again - Adam Grant

• TED Talk: The Habits of Happiness - Matthieu Ricard

• TEDx Talk: Change your mindset, change the game - Dr. Alia Crum

Candice Bradley

Manager, Human Resources & Compliance, Swan Valley Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 2014

In high school, Candice wanted to be an accountant. She attended university and completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree. After graduating, she worked for accounting firms and while earning her CA designation (now CPA), which she obtained in 2011.

Candice moved to Manitoba in late 2013 and shortly thereafter started a term position as CFO at Swan Valley Credit Union. After the term, she transitioned into the role of Compliance Officer. When an opportunity came up in HR, she moved into her current role of Manager, HR & Compliance which she’s held since 2017.

A typical day:

A typical day may include a variety of HR responsibilities, such as recruitment and retention efforts, benefits administration, HR Policy, employee engagement surveys, compensation surveys and analysis, or performance reviews. Candice is also responsible for overseeing the AML compliance regime and providing support and guidance to the front-line team in this area.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Candice tries to push herself out of her comfort zone to continually challenge herself to grow and develop. Her previous involvement with the CUYLM Executive Committee and present involvement with the CUMAM Board has helped her to make deep connections in the credit union system that she highly values. She also strives to complete relevant courses and seminars as the opportunity arises.

Keys to success:

Candice says the biggest contributing factors to her success are the connections she’s made throughout the credit union system, the support and guidance she receives from co-workers and mentors, and her openness to taking on new challenges.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Candice tries to stay up to date on a variety of topics by reading news articles from many different sources. She says she finds some great professional business-related resources/articles from Harvard Business Review, Inc., and Forbes.

Guiding principles:

Candice’s guiding principles are:

• Be open to listening and hearing out other perspectives

• Take accountability for your actions and own your mistakes

• Be proactive and take initiative with your own personal growth and development

• Maintain a positive mindset

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.

November 2024 Update:

We’ve added new resources! The theme of this update is burnout, stress and resilience. See what’s new below.

Books:

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle - Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski

Podcasts:

• On Purpose: Jim Kwik on Why You Feel Burned Out & How to Break Free from Your Limiting Beliefs

• On Purpose: Neha Kumar on Building Resilience to Negativity, and How to Make Your Passions Practical

• Science Vs.: Burnout - Can We Fix Work?

• Habits on Purpose: Breaking the Habits That Lead to Burnout

• Bossed Up: How to Deal with Difficult Coworkers and Build Interpersonal Relationships

• Bossed Up: How to Create Purposeful Goals to Avoid Burnout

• WorkLife: Burnout is Everyone’s Problem

• WorkLife: Breaking Up with Perfectionism

• Unlocking Us: Burnout and How to Complete the Stress Cycle

• Unlocking Us: Comparative Suffering, the 50/50 Myth, and Settling the Ball

• Dare to Lead: Grit and the Importance of Trying New Things

Articles:

• The 7 Types of Rest That Every Person Needs - Saundra Dalton-Smith (TED Ideas)

• Your Body Knows You’re Burned Out - Melinda Wenner Moyer (New York Times)

• Everything You Need to Know About Burnout at Work - Calm

• Stress, Worry and Anxiety Are All Different. How Do You Cope With Each? - Jeremy Engle (New York Times)

• Your Email Does Not Constitute My Emergency - Adam Grant (New York Times)

• Beating Burnout - Monique Valcour (Harvard Business Review)

• Signs of Burnout at Work – and What to Do About It - Allaya Cooks-Campbell (BetterUp)

Calling all young leaders!

Credit Union Young Leaders of Manitoba (CUYLM) is recruiting for positions on the CUYLM Executive Committee to serve 3-year terms starting January 2025. 

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. Committee meetings are hosted virtually every month for an hour in duration. Sub-committee meetings are held in addition to the committee meeting on a schedule dictated by the sub-committee.

• Excited to contribute to the creation and execution of CUYLM’s annual plan, including development and delivery of events and initiatives.

• Age 37 years or less at the time of application.

• Have not previously served as a member of the committee.

• Attain full support and a short reference from your direct manager/supervisor.

Apply now!

Learn more and complete the application form.

Apply on or before November 15, 2024.

All applicants will be contacted by November 30.

Virtual “Coffee With CUYLM” session:

If you’re thinking about applying and would like to know more about CUYLM, our recruitment process, or what it’s like to serve on the Executive Committee, join us for a virtual coffee break where we’ll answer your questions.

Date: November 6, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM

If interested in attending, please register here.

Application Review Process

Applications will be reviewed by the current CUYLM Executive Committee. We strive to establish a 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). 

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.

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.

Questions:

Please direct any questions to: cuylm@cucm.org.

Lorie Reimer

Member Services Manager, Steinbach Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: 1990

In high school, Lorie was interested in work that involved marketing and business development in some way. She worked in the hospitality industry during high school until a few months after graduation. 

Lorie began her career in the credit union system as a Teller at Steinbach Credit Union, bringing her customer service skills with her. She held this position for about a year before moving to the Member Services department. As a Member Services Representative (MSR), she enjoyed building relationships with members and staff.

Over the course of her career, Lorie moved into the role of Supervisor and then Manager of the Member Services team. Lorie has been in her current role for 17 years. During those years, she had two maternity leaves. After each, she was happy to be able to return to the role she’s been passionate about all this time.

A typical day:

On a typical day, Lorie is available to her team to support them in their roles and answer questions. She provides encouragement and advice to help her team navigate the different needs and situations of members throughout the day. Lorie plans for new hires that are needed, supports the development of training new team members receive, and works alongside many peer managers to help roll out new initiatives to help staff and members be successful as they do their day-to-day banking.

Lorie values the opportunity to interact with members when they visit the branch. She says they often share their thoughts, ideas and experiences, and there is always something to be learned through these important conversations.

Continuous learning and development:

Lorie believes in the importance of being open to learning new things. Sometimes it's learning a new process or procedure, or taking courses offered through the workplace to enhance your ability to do your job. She finds it rewarding to step outside the box and take advantage of additional training.

Keys to success:

Lorie says working with supportive peer leaders and managers has been a big contributing factor to her success. She appreciates those who take an additional moment to recognize accomplishments or share something new they learned. Lorie believes in bringing your positive attitude and passion for your job to work each and every day!

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

• Leadership 101 by John C. Maxwell

Guiding principles:

Lorie’s guiding principles are:

• Positivity - Stay positive in what you do, the tough stuff will work itself out.

• Trust - One simple word, yet the most important when building your team and working together for the greater good.

• Care - Show your peers and teams you care about them. They will always do more for you and your workplace when someone cares about 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.

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