CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Collins Community Credit Union
$1.6B Assets
Cedar Rapids, IA
People Helping People
Collins Community Credit Union was founded in 1940 by Collins Radio Employees and has grown into the fourth-largest credit union in Iowa with more than $1 billion in assets. With branches in Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Dubuque, Marion, and North Liberty, it serves more than 82,000 members throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
At Collins Community Credit Union, we are more than just a business, we are a team dedicated to making a positive impact through our mission of People Helping People. Our vision is to provide financial global access, impact, and advancement for our employees, members, and the communities we serve. We are committed to making a difference every single day, showing our members that they matter more than their money. Our mission and motto—”Aspire. Ignite. Achieve.”—are the guiding principles for everything we do.
Collins Community Credit Union is seeking a dynamic and visionary Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who can lead the organization into its next phase of growth and innovation. The CEO will be responsible for driving results and providing overall strategic leadership, with direct oversight of all the credit union’s business initiatives. This role demands a strong focus on ensuring accountability, profitability, and financial stability. The CEO will bring an operational efficiency approach, developing the necessary infrastructures to propel the organization to new heights of member satisfaction, community involvement, and growth. By fostering a futuristic outlook on exceptional member engagement, the CEO will create a member-centric approach that prioritizes the needs and experiences of our members. Additionally, the CEO will support and influence the senior leadership team, enhancing both internal and external relationships to ensure a solid foundation of operational success and growth opportunities.
The CEO will be a culture catalyst who can revitalize the organization by fostering a positive, inclusive, and forward-thinking environment. The ability to connect authentically with both employees and the board while articulating and driving a clear vision for the future will be essential. Building trust with the board will be a vital priority, alongside a strong focus on employee development and coaching to ensure the team is empowered to deliver exceptional service and innovation, ensuring that the credit union continues to meet and exceed the financial needs of its diverse membership. This is an opportunity to shape the future of Collins Community Credit Union and drive meaningful impact for all those we serve.
Leadership Skills, Characteristics, and Responsibilities
- Lead and manage a significant commercial, real estate, and combined lending portfolio, demonstrating deep expertise in lending operations to ensure financial growth and stability.
- Develop and implement strategic initiatives to expand consumer lending, particularly in the auto loan sector, while aligning lending strategies with the credit union’s overall vision and mission to drive sustainable growth.
- Provide cross-functional leadership, developing and guiding a high-performing leadership team with competencies in financial management, enterprise risk management, strategic use of technology (including Omni Channels), and strategic credit and investment portfolio management.
- Exhibit visionary and strategic thinking, with the ability to identify and lead the next phase of strategic planning priorities.
- Foster strong relationships with regulators and examiners, ensuring effective risk management and compliance with regulations and board-approved policies.
- Serve as the credit union’s ambassador, aligning the external brand with the internal culture and enhancing visibility and relationships in the communities served.
- Lead strategic planning initiatives, ensuring alignment with the strategic plan, capital allocation, and investment strategy while achieving business plan metrics and the best outcomes for members.
- A proven track record of employee development, succession planning, and mentoring expertise.
- Ensure strong financial management by overseeing a sound investment strategy and assuring the credit union has the proper balance of capital and people resources.
- Demonstrate an ability and proactive interest in developing industry relationships to enhance the credit union’s strategic position.
- Strong goal orientation to design initiatives based upon the strategic plan and to produce results that exceed the credit union’s business plan metrics and ensure the best outcomes for our members.
- Drive technology strategy and expertise, balancing in-house development with external partnerships and ensuring sound investment strategy and financial management.
- Streamline board processes, including meeting agendas and identifying areas requiring board input, while demonstrating highly developed decision-making skills to solve complex problems effectively.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or business administration; Master’s degree strongly preferred.
- Executive or senior leadership experience in a financial institution equal in size and complexity relative to Collins Community Credit Union.
- 15 plus years of proven leadership experience.
- Demonstrated leadership of executive-level leaders.
- Demonstrated ongoing learning, education, and certifications relevant to a financial institution’s leadership.
- CCUE and CUDE designations are preferred.
ABOUT DDJ MYERS, an ALM First Company
DDJ Myers is the executive search consultant for this organization. Our expertise is in supporting leadership teams in sustainable practices for high-performing organizations through succession planning, leadership development programs, executive coaching, board governance and renewal, and executive search. Please learn more about us at www.ddjmyers.com.