When Alan Bergstrom joined Community Choice Credit Union in November 2014 as its SVP of strategic development and chief marketing officer, the credit union was managing $530 million in assets and serving 53,000 members out of eight branches. Since then, the Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Community Choice has grown to $853 million assets and serves more than 80,000 members from 16 branches.

While several factors fueled Community Choice's growth over the last two years, including mergers, Bergstrom played a critical leadership role.

"Alan's leadership in marketing and strategy have made dramatic changes at Community Choice. Not only are we now seen as a force to be reckoned with, but we have greatly expanded our reach and marketing activities in media and channels that had never been used before," Bergstrom's colleagues wrote in nominating him as the CU Times Trailblazer Marketing Executive of the Year. "Our growth can be attributed Alan's outstanding leadership in marketing and advertising, product development, member experience and retail growth strategy. Our media reach was doubled (as measured by number of impressions), and even members have commented on how proud they are to see their credit union being visible through the markets being served."