Profile: Jackie Shoemaker, Westoba Credit Union
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.