Paula Stopera
On Wednesday, CAP COM Federal Credit Union announced the death of its former leader, Paula Stopera.
Stopera first started at the Albany, N.Y.-based CAP COM in 1980 as its membership relations officer, when the credit union had only nine employees. Twenty-four years later, in 2004, she became president/CEO. Within three months of starting her position as CEO, a spot she would hold until her retirement in 2019, Stopera oversaw the merger between CAP COM and Silicone Employees Federal Credit Union. At the time of the merger announcement, she said, "With our commitment to convenience and unparalleled service, we embrace this new opportunity and welcome Silicone Employees FCU members into our family of members with open arms."
According to a statement from CAP COM, Stopera oversaw record growth at the credit union. By the time of her retirement, CAP COM had 130,000 members, nearly $1.8 billion in assets and more than 360 employees.
CAP COM President/CEO, and Stopera's successor, Chris McKenna, said, "Paula's influence on CAP COM is beyond measure. As the architect of our philanthropic culture and a passionate advocate for our 'every member, every time, every day' philosophy, Paula shaped the direction of CAP COM forever. Her infectious personality, her steady hand and her huge heart will be missed by all of us."
According to a statement from CAP COM, Stopera was known throughout the Capital Region as a strong proponent of corporate giving and service, and she leaves a legacy of philanthropy both personal and professional. In 2003 Stopera, along with Sharon Phillips, founded the CAP COM Cares Foundation, which has donated approximately $5 million to local non-profits.
After a very successful CAP COM Cares Foundation event in 2005, Stopera said, "We are amazed every year at the level of support we receive from our members, volunteers and employees, who help us make a commitment to serve the community in which we work and live."
Stopera was even heavily involved in an episode of the former ABC Network home renovation show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." In 2007 Stopera helped organize $50,000 of CAP COM funding to help build the home for a local family in need. At the time of the recording of the episode, she said, "Sponsoring this initiative is something that falls perfectly in line with our mission as a credit union – 'people helping people.' We have always had a strong sense of commitment to our community and we were honored to be asked to help with such a worthwhile cause, especially with a family that lives right in our backyard."
CAP COM Board Chair Pat Kelly said, "Paula's legacy of service and stewardship of our credit union over many years, stands tall amongst all of us. The CAP COM family of companies mourns the loss of an extraordinary woman, businesswoman, mother and grandmother."
Stopera is survived by her daughter Amanda Goyer, son-in-law Chris Goyer and grandsons Roen and Noah. She was preceded in death by her son Alex Stopera, who died in 2016 and who also worked at CAP COM.
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Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
