EL PASO, Texas–El Paso Area Teachers FCU said it has selected Credit Union Strategic Planning to elevate its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to a strategic level, “so it becomes engrained in the credit union’s culture.”
“We believe that a diversity of perspectives and ideas leads to more optimal decision making,” said Max Villaronga, CEO of the $730 million El Paso Teachers FCU. “Strategically, it is valuable to embrace various types of diversity to deliver better decision making outcomes. The ongoing nature of the engagement is related to the reality that cultural transformation takes a lot of time.”
The credit union said it selected CU Strategic Planning as the result of “two words”: Ronaldo Hardy, the company’s chief diversity officer and co-owner
“He genuinely cares and understands DEI, which fit what we were trying to do,” Villaronga said.
Added Hardy, “We are truly grateful TFCU and Max see DEI as a top priority. I’m gratified that organizations such as TFCU are developing intentionality around their efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion. I’m honored and humbled they selected me and CU Strategic Planning to help the credit union along its DEI journey.”
A ‘Moral Imperative’
Hardy, formerly CEO at Southwest Louisiana FCU, has headed up CU Strategic Planning DEI consultancy for the last year. CUSP said he is a “thought leader and highly sought-after speaker on DEI, raising awareness of and knowledge about the practicum as a keynote speaker at CUNA Management School, SW CUNA Management School, Western CUNA Management Alumni Association, CUES, and the NCUA's Inaugural Diversity Summit.”
“Beyond return on diversity,” Villaronga added, “we feel it is a moral imperative to create a maintain a culture of DEI. The culture at TFCU is grounded firmly in fairness and human dignity, which aligns closely with DEI.”
For information: CUStrategicPlanning.com.