LAS VEGAS–Geoff Bullock, financial education specialist with the $1.1-billion Firefly Credit Union in Burnsville, Minn., has been named the 2017 CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec (NTCUE).
Bullock was selected for the honor during CUES’ CEO/Executive Team Network conference here.
Bullock’s project about bridging the financial gap for adoptive families was chosen from a group of international applicants, all age 35 or under, whom a team of judges selected as Finalists in August. As one of five Finalists, Bullock’s blog and video updates over the past few months provided the industry with an insight into the project’s progress, and culminated with a final presentation at the meeting.
Bullock emerged the winner after a four-part scoring process that included judging panel results, a measurement of his social media engagement, plus audience and online voting.
Bullock highlighted how his state of Minnesota became a central stop on “The Orphan Train” in the mid-1800s, and how it remains first in the United States in adoptions per capita. Bullock’s project idea was to create a unique loan product that would allow families wishing to adopt to have financial support and guidance throughout the process, CUES reported.
In his presentation, Bullock provided suggestions for how credit unions of any size could implement similar programs of their own.
“Attendees at CEO/Executive Team Network were excited that Geoff Bullock and the rest of this year’s NTCUE Finalists continue to demonstrate that the future of the credit union movement is strong and the plans and ideas coming from this next generation of leaders are both smart and achievable,” said CUES president/CEO John Pembroke.
The other four Finalists were:
- Derek Fuzzell of $3.258-billion Northwest FCU in Herndon, Va.
- Josh Gelser of the $1.1-billion DuPont Community Credit Union in Waynesboro, Va.
- Lindsey McMillen of the $1-billion Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
- Jessica Vartanian of the $270-million Red Rocks Credit Union in Littleton, Colo.
Bullock wins a $20,000 educational prize package that includes registration, accommodation and economy airfare to any two of CUES’ coveted CEO Institutes – one in 2018 and one in 2019 – and two remote coaching sessions from Silver CUESolutions provider, strategic partner and challenge sponsor DDJ Myers, Ltd. in Phoenix.