In an unusual move, the Heartland Credit Union Association board of directors hired an outsider to lead its 192 affiliated Kansas and Missouri credit unions into a new and uncertain future.
Although Brad Douglas, 54, does not hold any professional credit union experience, he served for 10 years on the board of directors for the 198,536-member CommunityAmerica Credit Union in Lexena, Kan.
Serving as chair from 2011 to 2015, Douglas transformed the board's role to one that was strategic and proactive, and would help the credit union's talented management team achieve its goals. Under the leadership of the board and executive team, CACU grew its assets from $1.8 billion to $2.1 billion, and its net income jumped from $10.9 million to $18.4 million from 2011 to 2015.
While serving on the board, Douglas became hooked on the credit union movement and developed a passion for it, which led him to become the first president/CEO of the Heartland association, which officially opened in January.
In addition to his extensive business development experience in the profit and non-profit realms, Douglas also spent years working for state and federal governments. He served as the budget committee counsel for the late U.S. Senator Paul Simon of Illinois, and was director for the state of Missouri office in Washington. He also worked in congressional and administrative positions for the U.S. Small Business Administration.
His most recent position was as vice president of business development and retirement plan consultant for the Alliance Benefit Group of Kansas City, which he joined in 2007. He was responsible for overseeing national sales, marketing and business development.
In an interview with CU Times, Douglas, whose first day on the job was April 1, took some time out of his blazingly busy schedule to talk about how the skills, talents and experience he honed from the worlds of business, law, government and politics will help him lead and grow the Heartland association, its credit unions and the movement.
CU Times: What attracted you to this job?
Douglas: I had fallen in love with the industry and movement while I served as a board member at CommunityAmerica Credit Union for many years and was the chair for five years. I let people know I was very interested in trying to find the right type of role in the industry, but I didn't know where that would be. I was at a senior level in several organizations in the past and I wasn't sure that I would be able to find a position that would be willing to bring in a person who is from outside the industry, even though I had a passion for the industry. I got a call from the recruiting firm. My name had been given to them as somebody they should take a look at and that started the process in early November.
CU Times: Did the Heartland association board explain why they decided to hire you even though you have no professional credit union experience?
Douglas: To the credit of our board, they decided strategically that they were hoping to find not only somebody with passion for the industry and who understood the industry, but they were also looking for somebody who could bring some outside connections, networks and ideas to the organization. Given the fact that this is a brand new organization, they realized they were going to have to think a little differently. You know as well as anybody that things are going to have to change in the industry, especially for state leagues, in terms of the business model.
CU Times: Because the industry's consolidation also means declining revenues for leagues, what is your plan to change the Heartland association's business model?
Douglas: The plan is to start building relationships both within and outside of the industry, which I can bring because I’ve worked outside the industry. I want to bring those relationships, those connections and those ideas to this organization and try and determine which of those might be non-dues generating ideas that are viable, and actually relevant and helpful to our credit unions.
CU Times: For the first time ever, credit unions will have the choice in 2017 to join the Heartland Association or CUNA, or join both organizations. Do you think most of the credit unions in Kansas and Missouri will continue to affiliate with both organizations?
Douglas: In the short time I’ve been here, my sense is that there is a strong relationship between our credit unions and both CUNA and the Heartland association. I believe that when we’re all working together, we’re unified and we’re much stronger than if we’re separate. So, I have no reason to think that is going to change. I know there's a strong relationship with our credit unions that are affiliated with Heartland. I have no reason to believe that that won't also continue with CUNA. And we plan to continue to be a good partner with CUNA at the association level. I would characterize our relationship with CUNA as very strong. There's a mutual respect and tremendous collaboration between the two organizations. Going forward, we want to continue that as partners.
CU Times: As you know, league consolidation is expected to continue. Will you be open to inviting other independent leagues to join the Heartland association?
Douglas: We would be if it makes sense. But what we are open to right now is being collaborative and working in partnerships with other state leagues. And then, in that process, if it becomes clear that it would make sense for us to combine our resources into one organization, and it's a win-win for everybody to do that, then we’d absolutely be open to those discussions.
CU Times: What is your overall vision for the Heartland association?
Douglas: The long term vision for us is that five years from now, our credit unions will not just be surviving but thriving. We’ll be impacting people's lives in a positive way because of the great works of our credit unions, and the association will have become the gold standard, if you will, for how to be collaborative with other state leagues. It will be held out as an example of doing things the right way for our credit unions. If we can achieve that in five years, then we will have accomplished something special.
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