27 THE NAFCU JOURNAL SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2022 Professional of the Year More Than $250M Berenice Villarreal Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union Live Oak, Texas Professional of the Year $250M or Less Melissa Gehl Leading Edge Credit Union Windom, Minnesota As the first ever Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU), Berenice Villarreal has created a culture of compliance. Villarreal has overseen RBFCU’s regulatory compliance prior to and now in the two years following the credit union’s crossover to $10 billion in assets, which notably triggers heightened regulatory scrutiny. She has grown a team of more than 25 risk and compliance employees and, for the first time, RBFCU consults with its own legal staff of four full-time attorneys, rather than depending on outside counsel. In addition, under Villarreal’s leadership, the group of NAFCU Certified Compliance Officers at RBFCU has grown from 12 to more than 25 in three years. Villarreal has played an integral role in developing a more structured format for providing education and communication among risk professionals within the credit union space, which has been achieved through partnership with the Association In two short years, Melissa Gehl has guided Leading Edge Credit Union (LECU) through the coronavirus pandemic, created and developed new marketing plans, assisted with two field of membership expansions, and become the face of the credit union in existing and new markets. As Chief Marketing Officer, Gehl coordinates all business development and marketing activities throughout LECU’s 12 counties and the credit union has seen 10% member growth, 23% asset growth, and 14% loan growth in the past two years—all thanks to marketing efforts. In addition to her work as Chief Marketing Officer, Gehl serves as a service skills coach and mentor to LECU’s staff to ensure that service standards are carried out in every member interaction. She is involved in all areas of the credit union and specifically works with the management team to ensure a strong culture and drive brand awareness. of Credit Union Internal Auditors. Villarreal formed RBFCU’s own compliance management system by defining compliance responsibilities through use of a “three lines of defense model,” communicating those responsibilities to affected areas, and ensuring integration of compliance elements within credit union operations. In her life outside of RBFCU, Villarreal is a mother to four children, two of whom were adopted through her family’s involvement as a foster family with Texas Child Protective Services. Additionally, as an immigrant who came to the United States with her mother and father, Villarreal strongly believes in helping others with similar migrant stories and she currently serves as the Board Chair of Endeavors—a non-profit organization that serves vulnerable people in crisis through comprehensive, effective, and innovative services that empower them to build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. Colleagues would describe Gehl as the true embodiment of the “people helping people” motto. Under her guidance, LECU has begun to focus on financial literacy in younger generations. Gehl is committed to serving the community’s youth and was instrumental in the creation and mentoring of LECU’s High School Advisory Board. Notably, Gehl has worked hard to expand LECU’s brand presence, and she recently led efforts to complete a successful name change for the credit union, formerly known as Fulda Area Credit Union. She worked with LECU’s graphic design team to create the new logo, name, and brand and met with vendors regarding the development of LECU’s new website. The new name chosen for the credit union is a direct reflection of Melissa’s commitment to technology, along with the strength and confidence she reflects to LECU’s staff and community every day.
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