Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1405040
4 Giving Guide 2021 Worcester Business Journal www.wbjournal.com What about your prior professional background has most prepared you for this role? I've had the good fortune of being able to do a lot of different things during my career in banking, having exposure to almost every different function or line of business our credit union has to offer. is depth and breadth of experience gives me great confidence being entrusted to oversee the entirety of GFA's operation. What is the most challenging and rewarding part of leading a community credit union? e things that we help our members accomplish – buying a home, saving for retirement or getting through a tough financial period – are so important to each story we get to be a part of. It also means that we have an obligation to constantly do right by our members and bring them access to products and services that help them navigate their lives. is is a challenge accepted head on and there is nothing more rewarding than being a successful part of one of our member's stories. What are some top priorities you will take on in this first year? Coming out of the pandemic had changed all of our lives, and this is true for both our members and our employees. How we worked and offered our services during the pandemic were different than we ever experienced before, and we need to make sure that we incorporate the things we learned into how we operate moving forward. Continuously finding ways to be there for members and employees. Our communities – when they need us most – is our priority! What is your vision for GFA in the future? Banking needs and services are always changing and adapting, and GFA will ensure we stay one step ahead for our members. is will guarantee they have access to the most affordable products and services, and can conduct their banking business when and how they want to. What are you most proud of that GFA stands for? Our credit union was founded because certain members of the community could not access banking services, and we've never forgotten this ideal. To this day we make sure to find those who need access to financial services the most, and make sure they have the opportunity and pathway to bank with us. Why is your role in the community so important to the region? I think the pandemic showed why GFA is so important to the region. When not every financial institution in the area remained open and accessible for essential workers, offered PPP loan processing to keep businesses afloat, or made sure to educate chambers and local businesses on the different business lending programs that were out there – GFA did. We continued to support area hospitals, food pantries and organizations in need throughout the year. To me, local businesses and organizations show their importance when they are needed the most and how they rise to the occasion. I could not be more proud of how GFA rose to the occasion for the region during the pandemic. F rom the moment I stepped foot inside the Parker Street branch at GFA, I knew that this was the place where I wanted to spend the rest of my career. What struck me, immediately, was how everyone was so focused and attentive on the member they had in front of them. Whether it was at the teller line, sitting at a desk or watching visiting guests being directed to the appropriate area – it was obvious to me where everyone's priority was. "Putting your members first" and GFA's commitment to that goal, has led me to become a credit union executive and why now more than ever - GFA is my home. Having spent nearly 20 years working in financial services, I've had a front row seat to how larger institutions prioritized shareholder value and expense reductions to common sense customer service. I came to the conclusion that this is not how banking is supposed to be. ere had to be a Better way of banking. I found that at GFA. Better Banking isn't only the mantra here – it's who we are and how we look at the world. Being selected by our volunteer Board of Directors, who take our core values to heart as much as any group I've ever encountered, to be the 5th President in GFA's history is the most humbling recognition of my career. Each President before me has been the right leader for GFA and our members, and I am honored to have the Board's faith to provide Better Banking to our team, community and members for many years to come. Each day is more exciting than the last and I can't wait for our members to see all the great things we're working tirelessly to bring to them. JOSHUA I. BRIER Getting To Know GFA's new President and Chief Executive Officer