By Leora Ruzin, CMB
Kathryn Davis has been President & CEO of Valley First Credit Union for just over a year and has already made her mark in this short period of time. Her passion for education, advocacy and lending drives her decisions, and that passion is felt in everything she does. With her vision, the storied credit union is entering a phase of re-birth and evolution, and it is no surprise that her guidance has been exactly what was needed, especially in the last six months. Interviewing her for this feature was a great honor for me, not only as the manager editor of the magazine, but also as one of her newest employees.
- It is clear based on your resume that you live and breathe the credit union mentality. What is it about the credit union business model that has resonated so well with you? When did you know that this is where you were meant to be?
This will probably sound cheesy, but it really is the motto of “people helping people” that resonates with me to this day. I love the philosophy around the cooperative financial model and think it’s even more relevant today. Like most people in the industry I accidently landed here and then just fell in love. The opportunity to help members lead better lives as a result of the products and services we’re able to offer them is what has kept me engaged all these years. I’ve had the good fortune to spend the past 13 years specifically focused on financial health and feel so blessed to have a career working with other like-minded people to create better lives for others.
