Mentorship Breakfast with Elaine Mann and Ray Brasch

Elaine Mann, CUYLM Executive Committee member:

I had the pleasure to take Ray Brasch, board member of Grandview Credit Union, out for breakfast on a beautiful spring morning. I was overwhelmed by his positive, enthusiastic and supportive attitude. We connected on so many levels, as I found out he was my Dad’s friend in school, and now Ray and I both share a passion for the Credit Union System. Crazy!

Our visit was a chance to talk about the many aspects of the Credit Union System. He talked about collaboration between Credit Unions and how it has become essential in rural areas. Small communities struggle to provide members with expertise, but together we can truly provide the Credit Union difference to our members. Ray has shown commitment to both the Credit Union and his community for the past sixteen years, as they have faced many changes and overcame challenges. He stressed that commitment is important even in tough times, especially for young leaders, as they are the future and far more important than we could ever imagine.

My take away on this visit was, as a seasoned leader, Ray confirmed that every single person should be respected for the ability to convert pressure into productivity and skills into strengths. This is something as young leaders we can all work toward.