“Surround yourself with people that complement you.” - Mike Valentine

Thank you for tuning in to episode 128 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by Humanidei. Humanidei helps credit unions build inclusive cultures that attract, develop, and retain talent.

My guest on today's show is Mike Valentine, President & CEO of BCU based in Illinois. He built his credit union career over more than three decades at BCU. Mike shares the story of the ambitious start (including one very ambitious conversation) that led to him becoming the President & CEO at the credit union. BCU is one of the fastest growing credit unions in the country, and continues to grow; today, it is more than $5 billion in asset size.

Mike encourages credit union professionals to improve their collaboration and communication, and encourages credit unions to establish strong partnerships in alignment with their strategic plans. He shares his perspective on the importance of growth, and the ways it leads to opportunity. During our conversation, we also chat about emerging trends in the workforce and the need to embrace flexibility and a virtual environment to attract and retain talent.

Mike and I discuss leadership, mentorship, and giving better feedback. Together we reflect on how the organizational culture changes as teams grow. Listen as Mike shares the top traits that stand out for him in potential hires, why he looks for people who complement his skillset, and how to manage the CEO-board relationship. Mike explains that he thinks of his career as a mission more than a job, and his endeavors to promote diversity and inclusion at BCU.

Above all, Mike believes communication is critical to maintaining a good balance between work and family, along with having a partner side-by-side with him. Tune in to hear the last time he was amazed, stories about his mentors, and his advice to new CEOs in their board relations. Enjoy my conversation with Mike Valentine!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

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Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List 

How to find Mike:
Mike Valentine, President & CEO of BCU
[email protected]
https://www.bcu.org
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