There's a very strong group of executives who are focused on supporting and strengthening the credit union universe. This year's selection of third-party executive leadership finalists for the 2024 CU Times Luminaries Awards reflect an incredible environment built to enhance the abilities of credit unions serving members in some unique and powerful ways. We are thrilled to feature the 19 finalists you'll read about below.
Executive Leadership – CUSOs
Steve Willis: LEVERAGE/Affiliated Consolidated Services
Steve Willis Steve's leadership style is characterized by adaptability, progressiveness and unwavering support for his team. He motivates and encourages his team members, fostering a collaborative environment where innovative ideas can flourish. This culture of support and encouragement has been instrumental in the company's ability to offer best-in-class products and services, resulting in significant cost reductions and maximized results for credit unions.
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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.
