BURLINGAME, Calif. –After leading Upward Credit Union for 24 years, President and CEO Linda White has announced plans to retire. Now, she is sharing some of what she learned during her tenure with readers of CUToday.info.
During her career White oversaw growth from $3 million in assets to $100 million, moving the CU from a damp, leaky office in a medical building to professional space today.
White was also a founding member of the Credit Union Women’s Leadership Alliance, where she will serve as executive director after her post ends at Upward, received the Distinguished Service Award along with the Grassroots Leader of the Year and the Kim Bannan Eternal Flame Award in 2012 and 2018, respectively, from the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, and became a Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) in 2019.
CUToday.info: How did you come to be involved in credit unions?
White: I started working in credit unions in 1978. I was working at the parking garage and passport studio across the street from the Federal Building in San Francisco for my friend’s mother. She taught me 10-key and bookkeeping; I was just out of high school.
One day the manager of the credit union in the Federal Building, who parked her car in the garage, asked me if I wanted to interview for a receptionist position at the credit union. I thought, why not, not going to work in the garage or passport studio forever and didn’t really have a plan. I was hired as a teller, and they moved another teller to the receptionist job. So, a day one promotion. When I left that first job, I was the operations supervisor and lots of life experiences too!
CUToday.info: What have you learned about driving and managing growth, and has that changed?
White: A lot has changed, for sure! When I started at what is now Upward, we were $3 million in assets with only savings and consumer loans. There was naturally a lot of opportunities for growth and as the assistant manager during the implementation of many of the new products, that helped me to learn all facets of a project and the needs on the organization.
Keep in mind, we were a staff of four or five when we implemented checking accounts, credit cards, ATM cards, and then adding debit cards, moving offices within a hospital--the list goes on. As the membership grew so did the need for staff.
As CEO, it was a major shift as now I was the one to drive the ideas and carry out the board’s vision, too. During this time I attended Western CUNA Management School (WCMS) and helped put it all together.
CUToday.info: What have you learned about managing people, and has that changed?
White: Humility! I have said more than once, I am not the same manager I was 20 years ago and that’s a good thing. I pretty much grew up with the credit union and do whatever it takes, and while we may have the same passion, it’s not reasonable to think everyone thinks, does things, or learns the same way.
I learned to see what people did good and how to help them grow and develop in their areas of strengths. I landed in a credit union and a lot of my staff did, too.
CUToday.info: What advice would you have for new CEOs?
White: You are not alone! Today there are so many councils, associations, alliances to be a part of to support you. It could be an area you need to strengthen or a place to find a coach. Even when I became a CEO and these groups were as readily available, I had a peer to talk to.
CUToday.info: What is your view on the future of credit unions, if there is to be one?
White: If we remember our history and why we exist, we will continue to be here. Will it look the same? Probably not, but the mission will. When credit unions started there wasn’t the technology and gazillion options of how to move money. But there will always be people who need what credit unions do, essentially change our members’ lives.
Today it may be a loan to help with transportation, housing, or saving plans. Tomorrow, and today, it includes how to help our members navigate the best path for what they need. Education on protecting what they have. People helping people!