PLANO, Texas–The Cornerstone Credit Union League has announced the winners of its Hall of Fame Award, Professional of the Year Award and Small Credit Union Achiever's Award.
Paul Trylko has been honored as the winner of the Hall of Fame Award, Lisa Martinez-Lee as the Professional of the Year, and Harlene B. Johnson as the recipient of the Small CU Achiever’s Award.
Here is a look at what the league had to say about each winner:
Paul Trylko
“Paul Trylko has devoted his career to the credit union movement,” the CCUL said. “His drive to promote it among colleagues, other organizations, and across the globe is nothing short of remarkable.”
The league noted Trylko spent the last 30 years of his career at Amplify Credit Union, joining in 1989 as executive vice president, before being named CEO in 1998 and helping to modernize the organization, opening up its membership and expanding its branch network. When he became CEO, Amplify had 44 employees and $154 million in assets. Today, the credit union has more than 200 employees and almost $1 billion in assets with more than 60,000 members and six branches.
Trylko retired at year-end 2019.
The CCUL said under Trylko’s leadership, the credit union changed its charter twice. Once in 2006, when it transitioned to a community charter and rebranded from the IBM Texas Employees Federal Credit Union, and again in 2017, when it adopted a state charter to expand its field of membership to serve residents across Texas.
“During his long-term tenure at the helm of Amplify Credit Union, Paul demonstrated extraordinary leadership and competence and an appreciation for ethics, integrity, and the power of strong collaboration with credit unions within the Cornerstone region, including serving as chair of the League,” said Tony Budet, president/CEO of University Federal Credit Union. “Within his organization, Paul nurtured a vibrant culture and strong values while setting and personally demonstrating exceptionally strong behavioral and performance expectations. He earned the trust of his staff and members and recognized a leader’s ability to influence is substantially driven by the quality of such relationships, in which he heavily invested.”
Trylko has served on numerous committees and is past chairman of the Texas Credit Union League, which became the Cornerstone Credit Union League, and helped lead a CU exchange program between Amplify and a group from Brazil.
“Paul retired as CEO/president of Amplify Credit Union at the end of 2019, leaving behind a strong organization ready to serve members far into the future and a legacy that will forever shape our credit union,” said Maria Martinez, president/CEO of Border Federal Credit Union. “He believes deeply in the cooperative principles and because he was committed to connecting more Texans to the unique value credit unions deliver for members. Credit union advocacy is part of Paul's DNA, and our system is stronger for his contributions.”
Lisa Martinez-Leeper
The winner of the 2020 Professional of the Year award, the CCUL said Martinez-Leeper has worked tirelessly in the credit union industry for more than 38 years. During that time, her career has been focused on operations, including being the corporate trainer for five years before working in a management position. She has been employed with Tinker FCU since February 1982 and currently works as the senior vice president of operations, managing 32 branches, the call center, and the specialized accounts and retail services departments, the league reported.
The CCUL said Martinez-Leeper believes strongly in professional development, and started the first Cornerstone Leadership Academy in the Oklahoma City metro area. She acted as dean of the academy for the 2019 school year, serves as an advisory board member, and coaches three student mentees from different credit unions throughout the Oklahoma City area.
In her community, Martinez-Leeper is the Tinker FCU Veteran Liaison for the Oklahoma Heroes Program. She was tasked by the Purple Heart Homes organization to bring a chapter to Oklahoma, making it the 17th state with a chapter. She currently serves as president and is assembling a board with a focus on veterans and their welfare.
Martinez-Leeper serves on multiple committees and boards, including Inclusiv Juntos Avanzamos (Spanish for “Together, we advance”). She is a member of the Cornerstone International Committee and Awareness Initiative and is an advisory board member for the Rose State College Business Administration.
Harlene B. Johnson
The winner of the league’s Small Credit Union Achiever's Award, which recognizes exemplary efforts of credit union professionals at CUs below $50 million in assets, the CCUL said Johnson is a selfless leader who “goes the extra mile to help her members and those in the community she serves.”
Johnson has held the office of president/CEO and board member since Light Commerce Credit Union opened in January 2004. She had previously volunteered at her church—the New Light Christian Center Church in Houston—for two years, where her pastor asked her to research financial institutions to assist the congregants. Soon after, the church made plans to charter a credit union, and Johnson put together the application, the league said.
“Light Commerce Credit Union, with less than $3 million in assets, is a small but mighty credit union staffed by Johnson and one other employee. Johnson wears many hats, handling all areas of credit union operations,” the CCUL said. “She interacts with examiners and performs the day-to-day lending, collections, marketing, new accounts, and accounting tasks.”
"Harlene has always explored financial opportunities available through grants," said Nicole Smith, a staff member with Light Commerce Credit Union. "She has successfully written grants to assist the credit union with its suite of products and services, i.e., share accounts, share drafts, debit cards, certificates of deposit, automobile loans, credit repair loans, signature loans, online banking, mobile banking, wire transfers, and credit counseling. Her goal is to have Light Commerce Credit Union CDFI certified by 2021."
The CCUL said Johnson is passionate about financial literacy and each year spearheads a financial reality fair for teens to teach personal finance and budgeting. Through her church, Johnson facilitates sessions on budgeting, credit repair, and automobile buying. With the assistance of partners, she also teaches seminars on purchasing a home and personal insurance. In addition, she assists the credit union’s sponsor, New Light Church, with community outreach events.