Bob Fisher, recently retired longtime CEO of $2.8 billion Grow Credit Union in Tampa, opens this podcast by relating a call he had a few weeks ago with the present CEO. Bob said he told him, "I'm calling you with glee. I am so glad I am not in your chair now" and that's because of coronavirus, the global recession, and the upheaval that has remade the world.
And yet you can hear this in Fisher's voice: he truly believes smart credit union CEOs will see opportunities, even amid this chaos, they will seize it and their institutions will prosper.
"CEOs need to be dreamers," said Fisher. Think big. Think how you can do it better. Think how you can invent the next way to bank before the others see it.
That's success.
Fisher's philosophy is plain: basically you grow or you die. When he took over Grow it was in NCUA's doghouse and it had around $240 million in assets.
Now it is a star even in the competitive Florida environment.
You will hear how he did that in this podcast and you will also hear why he views NCUA as a credit union's friend.
You'll also hear why you cannot build a credit union around Baby Boomers, not one that will thrive.
There is a long, provocative discussion about the board and governance and how management needs to work with its board.
Want to know how to make indirect lending work? Listen to this podcast. Fisher tells how.
He also explains the institution's expansion into South Carolina (go Clemson!).
There's a lot to unpack in this podcast and it's all inspiring.
You will hear mention of prior CU2.0 Podcast guests - Bucky Sebastian, longtime BECU CEO Gary Oakland, and SECU CEO Jim Blaine. Listen to the quartet and get an education from four of the industry's best leaders in the past quarter century.
Like what you are hearing? Find out how you can help sponsor this podcast here. Very affordable sponsorship packages are available. Email rjmcgarvey@gmail.com
Find out more about CU2.0 and the digital transformation of credit unions here. It's a journey every credit union needs to take. Pronto