WASHINGTON, D.C. — Male and female U.S. credit union leaders gathered at the Washington Convention Center here for the Global Women’s Leadership Network.
NCUA Vice Chairman Rick Metsger keynoted the event and spoke to the issue of women’s leadership within credit unions, including presenting a report on the gender gap in credit union leadership.
NCUA's Rick Metsger speaks to Global Women's Leadership Network event in Washington.
"It's not about men or women, it's about performance and mentoring one another," he said.
When evaluating the U.S. credit union movement, Metsger that organizations driven by female CEOs had better CAMEL ratings and higher net worth than those led by men.
"Looking at performance in the credit union industry, you see how well women have performed—equal or better than their [male] counterparts," Metsger said. "It is incumbent upon all of us to keep in mind this discrepancy and focus on being the mentor to people in our industry that are outstanding, show leadership qualities [and] compassion for the movement, and encourage them to ascend to those leadership positions."
In his concluding remarks, Metsger challenged the industry's board of directors to look at performance and make a difference in the credit union movement.
World Council President and CEO Brian Branch opened the annual Networking Breakfast, emphasizing the need to include both men and women in developing opportunities for equality in credit unions. Celebrating the milestone of over 700 female Network members from 53 countries, Branch emphasized the Network's vision to develop a platform for women to safely convene and engage in mentoring, skill building, training and education.
Network Chair Susan Mitchell, and CEO of Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates, gave an update on the progress of the Network, which now includes 16 international chapters, called Sister Societies, in six countries that have raised $10million to support credit union women in leadership worldwide.
"We are changing lives!" Mitchell said. "This Network is about our commitment to making a difference, and having the tools to do so."