Juanita Whiteside, president/CEO of the $284 million Otero FCU, passed away on Aug. 13 after a long battle with breast cancer. A release from the Credit Union Association of New Mexico said Whiteside worked at the Alamagordo, N.M.-based cooperative for more than 37 years.

In 2011, Whiteside became one of the first New Mexico credit union CEOs to post on social media when she was inspired to dive into popular culture and form a flash mob, the CUANM said. In July, Otero FCU was one of four New Mexico credit unions on a list of the Top 200 Healthiest Credit Unions in America. Otero was 78th on the national list compiled from more than 6,000 federally insured credit unions evaluated.

“She was the finest person that walked on Earth. The best employee anyone could ever have.  I am very happy I had the opportunity to hire Juanita. It was one of the best hiring decisions we ever made,” Dave Sheppard, chairman of the Otero board of directors, said. He originally hired Whiteside more than 37 years ago.

Whiteside served on the CUANM Board of Directors, New Mexico Credit Union Education Foundation Board of Directors, CUANM Governmental Affairs Committee and CUANM Governance Task Force. She was a familiar face at many association events and always available to assist other credit union leaders who could benefit from her experience, the trade association said.

“She will always be known as a credit union leader, not only at Otero Credit Union, but across all of New Mexico. She was passionate and a real activist in the credit union movement,” Credit Union Association of New Mexico CEO Paul Stull said. “All of us at CUANM extend our most sincere condolences to Juanita's family and the employees and members of her Otero Federal Credit Union family as well. She will be missed and remembered for her tireless efforts to further the mission of credit unions to serve and promote the financial independence of their members.”

Whiteside's family requested that any memorial contributions be made to the Susan G. Komen organization.