On April 14, 2018, the island of Kauai in Hawaii was deluged with a historic rain storm.
As with all natural disasters, basic daily needs such as food and clean water were suddenly at a premium. Kauai Government Employees Federal Credit Union, under the leadership of CEO Monica Belz, was at the forefront of recovery efforts on the island.
Belz, who was named a 2019 Credit Union Rock Star by Credit Union Magazine in a special issue sponsored by Fiserv, even delivered supplies to members via jet ski.
“We got the board of directors together and asked, ‘What is our role as a credit union? What can we do?’" she tells the CUNA News Podcast. “I put my laptop and other supplies in a dry bag and jet skied, boated, and swam to the most remote region.”
As you will learn in this podcast, sponsored by Harland Clarke, Belz is uniquely suited for an emergency response. But her leadership qualities extend far beyond natural disasters.
As a millennial CEO, Belz has a wide range of international business and community-building experience as well as a fearless spirit that make her the kind of leader who can help credit unions shape their future in a global marketplace.
Credit Union Magazine’s Spring 2023 issue features the 2023 Credit Union Heroes and examines CUNA-League advocacy priorities, board leadership, the impact of financial well-being efforts, fee-related compliance issues, predictions for the year ahead, and more.
