MADISON, Wis. (12/22/15)--Credit union marketers who are focused on becoming chief marketing officer (CMO) or CEO see a multidimensional roadmap ahead to achieve those goals, according to a new white paper from the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council.

The paper, “Leadership Roadmaps for Marketing & Business Development Professionals,” profiles the professional journeys of several marketers who have attained CMO and CEO roles.

“As the importance of branding and telling the credit union’s story grows, marketers are seeing more opportunities to lead their entire organizations and not just the marketing team,” said CMO Michelle Shelton, Georgia United CU, Duluth, Ga. “Many current marketing executives have responsibility for more than just marketing in their job descriptions--whether based on credit union size, skill set, or structure.”

The white paper discusses:

• Skill sets needed to achieve at the C-suite level;
• Personal characteristics and traits that help set an individual apart;
• Trends in CMO and CEO career paths and recruiting; and
• Training and professional development opportunities.

“CEOs today and tomorrow require a more strategic, all-encompassing vision than just the financial side of the business,” Shelton said. “To remain in business, there’s a stronger need to tell the story of both credit unions, in general, and for each particular institution.”

CUNA Councils members are eligible to receive complimentary copies of this white paper, which is the first in a series of leadership-driven white papers.