Tim Mislansky became president/CEO at Wright-Patt Credit Union in Beavercreek, Ohio, on Jan. 1, taking over for long-time CEO Doug Fecher, who retired.

Credit Union Magazine recently spoke with Mislansky about the credit union industry, the economy, leadership, and his interests outside of Wright-Patt.

Credit Union Magazine: What’s one prediction you have about credit unions or the economy in 2022?

Tim Mislansky: It’s clear that our economy will have inflation for a period of time, and it’s not going away quickly. Factors such as the pandemic, the Great Resignation, labor shortages, and supply chain challenges are all impacting this.

It’s crucial that credit unions work to understand the impact on our members and how we might help them. Most credit unions serve middle-class Americans, and when prices go up they have less money for bills, groceries, and discretionary spending.

How might we help members who are seeing less money left at the end of each pay period? Or no money left at all?

Q: How would you define your leadership style? 

A: I am a values-based leader who believes there is a right way to get the right results. I work to inspire people based on the beliefs, values, and mission of our credit union.

I also work to be an authentic leader who is not only visible with all our partner-employees but accessible. That’s why I am spending dedicated time at every one of our credit union member center locations during my first 100 days as president and CEO. I want to connect with the partner-employees who work with our members every day.

Other words my team and peers would use to describe my leadership style include member-centric, action-oriented, and results-focused. 

Q: What is the role of credit unions in their community? 

A: Credit unions are community-based organizations and have an important role to play in creating and maintaining successful communities. For Wright-Patt Credit Union, the future of community involvement will be aligned with the credit union’s mission and purpose.

These activities can fill various needs, from raising sponsorship dollars to participating in local events or partnering with like-minded organizations. Our ability to be successful is dependent upon the communities in which our members live and work.

When we have stronger communities, we have stronger members and the credit union becomes stronger. 

Q: What are your favorite activities outside of work? 

A: By far my favorite activity is spending time with my family. My kids are in college now, so we don’t get much time together. But when we are with each other, I try to make the most of it.

I am a native Clevelander and enjoy following and attending games for my somewhat dysfunctional Cleveland sports teams. Besides sports, I also love to attend live music. 

Q: What’s the best vacation you’ve been on?

A: Back in 2014, we completed the great American road trip. We packed up the minivan and drove nearly 7,000 miles in 14 days, visiting 19 states and six national parks including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Rushmore.

One of the great parts is that when we left, we only had four nights of hotel reservations, so we spent each day doing what we felt like and found a hotel when we were done for the day. It was an amazing way to spend quality time with my wife and two kids and see so much of the country.