TAMPA, Fla. – Brad Baker of GTE Financial, was a finalist in the 2017 Tampa Bay Business Journal CFO of the Year award. His accomplishments and achievements were recognized alongside fellow CFOs at the CFO of the Year Awards yesterday in Tampa. Baker has spent more than 25 years at GTE Financial and has played an integral role in helping to mold it into the successful financial institution it is today.
“Brad’s leadership at GTE Financial has been crucial to our success--not only as a financial institution—but as a community partner. He has worked tirelessly to spearhead programs that help our members improve their finances and their lives,” says Brian Best, president and CEO of GTE Financial. “We are extremely proud of his accomplishments and thrilled he has received this recognition.”
Baker led the effort to partner with Equifax and provide members with free quarterly credit scores on their statements, at no cost to GTE Financial. The scores are crucial to enabling members to improve their finances. Baker also played an important role in helping to provide $90,000 in scholarships to Tampa Bay students annually by obtaining IRS approval of the GTE Charitable Trust’s Scholarship Program.
Prior to his role as CFO and SVP of Finance and Administration at GTE Financial, Baker held a variety of senior finance positions at credit union. He currently oversees marketing and the member experience departments. Baker is a CPA and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and management information systems from the University of South Florida in Tampa.