My Journey to Credit Union Leadership: Miriam Mitchell of Addition Financial Credit Union

Name: Miriam Mitchell

Credit Union: Addition Financial Credit Union ($2.8 billion, Lake Mary, Fla.)

Title: Chief Lending Officer

Age: 44

Number of years at current credit union: 18

Educational background: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Barry University (Miami Shores, Fla.); MBA from Rollins, Crummer Graduate School of Business (Winter Park, Fla.)

CU Times: What are your key responsibilities in your current role?

Mitchell: My key responsibilities are to oversee the credit union’s diverse loan portfolio while developing and executing a mission-aligned lending strategy. I am also responsible for balancing interest rate risk and credit risk with profitability and affordability of all lending products.

CU Times: What drew you to the credit union industry?

Mitchell: I was working at a bank and had a friend who worked for a credit union, and although we were both tellers, there was so much more to her job than mine. Her credit union genuinely cared for its employees and members. On the other hand, I felt as if I was just trying to get the next ‘sale.’ At the time I was in college pursuing a degree in psychology and I figured I would be working in my current role for at least a few years until I graduated. I decided that even though banking wasn’t my long-term career goal, I wanted to work at a place where I was making a positive impact in the lives of others, so I made the switch to a credit union. Ultimately that one decision changed my career trajectory!

CU Times: What unique skills, experience and attributes do you bring to the C-suite?

Mitchell: Although I have been at Addition Financial for 18 years, I have 25 years in the credit union industry. Throughout those 25 years I have worked in branch operations, collections and lending. By working in different areas, I understand what it is like to be a member-facing employee. I have also seen how decisions made by leadership directly impact members and team members. When I am making decisions, I draw on those experiences to understand the impact the decision will have on our members and team members.

CU Times: Which person (or people) do you credit the most for helping and supporting you along your career journey?

Mitchell: Many people have helped me and given me opportunities throughout my career, from some great bosses who mentored me to leaders I didn’t directly report to who saw my potential and believed in me. However, I would have to say my biggest supporters have always been my husband and son.

CU Times: What are some of the biggest differences between working in your current executive level role and your previous, non-executive roles?

Mitchell: The biggest difference is thinking strategically about the organization as opposed to operationally. When I was the Director of Real Estate, my main responsibility was to lead one team and focus on that one aspect of the business. At the executive level I can contribute to the overall strategic direction of the credit union. It is important for the people who have a seat at the table to speak up and share ideas and insight, not only in their areas of expertise but other areas of the organization as well.

CU Times: What’s a challenge you faced when you first joined your executive team, and how did you overcome it?

Mitchell: Speaking up in discussions about topics in which I didn’t feel experienced. When I joined the executive team, I joined a team that had been working together for years. It took some time to adjust to being one of their peers. Not long after I joined the executive team, I began my executive MBA program and that helped me to become more comfortable and confident.

CU Times: How would you describe your current leadership style?

Mitchell: My leadership style is a mix of transformational and servant leadership. I like to inspire, support and empower my team. I believe in fostering an environment where team members feel valued, included and that their work matters.

CU Times: Do you approach your job any differently now compared to how you did pre-pandemic? If yes, how so?

Mitchell: I wouldn’t say that I approach my job differently, but I would say that the pandemic showed me how adaptable I could be. I think as an industry we saw how we could adjust in such a short period of time, with very little notice and still be successful in serving our members. I believe that work in general has shifted, and it will continue to shift as younger people enter the workforce. We must be willing to adapt to ensure we can attract future leaders to our industry.

CU Times: What’s next for you on your executive career journey? Do you have any specific career goals you’re working toward?

Mitchell: I am grateful to be where I am today, and I still have a lot that I can accomplish in my current role. I don’t know what the future holds but I am always looking for opportunities to grow and increase my knowledge. I know for certain that I will always remain in the credit union industry!

CU Times: What big-picture impact do you hope to make within your credit union, as well as for your members and community?

Mitchell: Credit unions were founded on ‘people helping people’ and at Addition Financial, we work every day to live up to that philosophy. We continually explore innovative methods to connect with and support all members of our community, from offering affordable products and services to initiating financial education programs, starting as early as Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten. Our aim is to consistently generate positive effects within our community. As an Addition Financial team member, I am committed to our goal of continuous improvement, which will enable us to extend our services to an even broader audience, providing people with a path to financial well-being.

CU Times: What career advice would you give your younger self?

Mitchell: Never pass up an opportunity!

Would you or someone you know like to share your journey to credit union leadership? Please reach out to Natasha Chilingerian at nchilingerian@cutimes.com. To qualify, you must have been placed or promoted into a new senior-level leadership role within the last three years at a credit union.