Growing up in a suburb of our nation's capital, Linda McFadden couldn't escape politics.

“You watch politics at a young age,” said McFadden, CEO of the XCEL Federal Credit Union, CU Times' 2017 Trailblazer Award recipient for Outstanding Political Action. “You can't grow up in D.C. and not be aware of politics. When the president changes, the whole neighborhood changes.”

And so, it only would be natural that when McFadden became the CEO of XCEL in 2006, she would bring that political awareness — and a confidence that she could effect change — to her work in the credit union industry.

“I like seeing where we can make a difference,” she said, having just completed her tenure as chairman of the New Jersey Credit Union League — a role she occupied for three years.

McFadden joined XCEL in January 2001, just months before its headquarters at the World Trade Center was destroyed in the 9/11 attacks. As vice president for operations at XCEL, she played a major role in disaster recovery following the attacks.

Before 9/11, XCEL, which began as the credit union for employees of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was headquartered at the World Trade Center.

Now, the credit union, which has almost $182 million in assets, calls Bloomfield, N.J., its home.

And when she became XCEL's CEO in 2006, she ensured that XCEL would play a major role in the New Jersey Credit Union League.

XCEL is a participant in CUNA's Member Activation Program, which encourages credit union members to voice their opinions on legislation beneficial to the credit union industry.

She encourages senior management to write letters to legislators about issues of importance.

And XCEL participates in political activities through both credit union trade organizations — CUNA and NAFCU, as well as the state league.

In 2014, she brought XCEL's message directly to the Senate Banking Committee, when she testified on behalf of NAFCU on the regulatory burden credit unions face.

“Credit unions need regulatory relief, both from Congress and their regulators,” she told the committee.

And she was blunt in her criticism of the NCUA.

“They came out with a [risk-based capital] proposal that was so off-the-wall that they knew it was going to cause a stir within the credit union movement,” she said at the time.

Instead of getting credit unions involved in the process, making adjustments and re-proposing the rule, McFadden said the agency was doing everything alone.

“That's not a collaborative working environment. So when they draw lines in the sand like that, credit unions are afraid to come forward and take their issues to the NCUA because they know they are very closed minded about it,” she added.

McFadden said the last few years have been particularly frustrating, as she and other credit union officials have had to adjust to the regulatory framework that has been developed as a result of the economic crisis.

“We've had to change mortgage documents 11 times,” she said. “Those are hidden costs.”

XCEL officials try to stay ahead of the politicians in their state, warning them of problems on the horizon. That contact comes in visits to their offices or meetings at the Credit Union House, the Washington townhouse where credit unions, leagues and CUNA plot strategy and meet with legislators.

Credit Union House meetings work the best, McFadden said, adding that allows her and league officials the opportunity to meet members off Capitol Hill, where they are easily distracted.

“We have their attention better,” she said.

McFadden is not the only XCEL employee who gets her hands dirty in the political arena.

Gov. Chris Christie has nominated XCEL Marketing Director Tom Quigley as a member of the state's Credit Union Advisory Council, a group that makes recommendations to the state Department of Banking and Insurance.

XCEL's political activities are not confined to this country.

As a director at XCEL, Stacey Walker is active in WOCCU, and has hosted more than 30 Brazilian credit union executives at XCEL. “We opened our doors,” McFadden said. “We compared our credit unions.”

McFadden said she was particularly struck by the number of men compared with the number of women in the delegatipon. And the Brazilian men were surprised as well, McFadden said.

“They were amazed that a woman ran a credit union,” she said.

Several years earlier, McFadden, who was then working on Georgia, helped that state's league assist Polish officials with establishing credit unions in that nation following the fall of communism.

That effort resulted in more than 350 credit unions opening in Poland some five years after the fall of communism.

XCEL was also at the forefront of a New Jersey state government program to extend “green” loans to homeoweners who wish to make their homes more energy efficient.

And when the political system doesn't work, XCEL officials are not shy about developing their own programs to fill in the gaps.

The credit union was one of the leaders in developing programs to offer postsecondary education students with private student loans.

McFadden said that credit union leaders watched as tuition soared at many colleges and universities.

Federal student loan programs simply didn't keep pace. “There was a gap of four or five thousand dollars a year,” she said.

And so, McFadden said, New Jersey credit unions developed programs to fill the gap.

Students can borrow money to supplement their student loans. And unlike the federal loan program in which students do not begin repayment until after they leave their college or university, students in the credit union program pay $25 a month — and they must credit qualify.

“Making that $25 payment makes them think” about their debt, she said, adding that it under the federal program, it becomes easy to forget about the money you owe.

McFadden takes her role as a credit union advocate seriously.

“I like seeing where we can make a difference,” she said. “I like helping credit unions.”

And she wants to make sure that lawmakers remember her — and her message.

“The red-haired lady is with the credit unions,” she said. “I don't care if they remember my name just so they know that I'm with the credit unions.”