Success Story: A Fresh Face for an 81-Year-Old Credit Union
"When I arrived at ACFCU, I saw tremendous potential," says Scott Rose, CEO. Since then, ACFCU's 30,000-square-foot facility on the corner of I-40 and Credit Union Drive in Amarillo, Texas, has been upgraded and retrofitted as a technology center, with exclusive access to a new level of member care via Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs).
Interactive Teller Machines: A Step Above the ATM
A step above traditional ATMs, ITMs give members access to cash withdrawals and deposits, but they also connect them to a human teller who appears on the ITM screen to assist with more complex banking needs.
The ITMs' human tellers are housed in specially designed workspace "pods" on the credit union's second floor. The main facility also houses an expanded call center and a space for ACFCU University, where internal employee training is completed with an emphasis on developing a positive work culture.
ACFCU University and a Culture of Leadership
Within their first three months, all new ACFCU employees are enrolled in CU101, where Rose explains the differences between credit unions and banks. His Ruddered leadership program teaches employees they don't need a title or a seat at the head of a table to take initiative.
"You can lead from where you are. We create a culture of people who embrace excellence and want to make a difference."Scott Rose, CEO
None of this extraordinary change would have been possible, says Rose, without the support of a forward-thinking board of directors and a team of dedicated employees willing to accept change. ACFCU's efforts at modernization and catering to members have won the organization numerous awards from credit union and marketing organizations alike.
"Our objective is to embrace excellence and separate ourselves from everyone else. We don't just want to look good, we want to be good."Scott Rose, CEO
All Aboard: From Scarcity to Abundance
When Rose arrived at ACFCU in 2019, the credit union was struggling with the status quo. "It had so much opportunity and potential, but it needed new leadership and direction," he says.
Relying on 35 years of leadership experience, Rose worked diligently to replace the prevailing "scarcity" mentality at ACFCU with a glass-half-full perspective as the team worked to rebuild the organization and move forward.
Today, Rose has a published book detailing ACFCU's turnaround, All Aboard: The Journey from Scarcity to Abundance, where he discusses how to get a stagnant organization moving again, noting that "getting a company's engines moving forward again is not an overnight process."
The book also discusses the importance of building a positive culture by treating people right. "In a successful financial institution," says Rose, "members are always first, employees come second, and the rest of us come after that."