28 THE NAFCU JOURNAL SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2022 Volunteer of the Year $250M or Less Jamilee Jimenez Kaua’i Federal Credit Union Kaua’i, Hawaii Jamilee Jimenez lives by the motto “if others see you do good, they will follow.” She is a committed, productive member of the Kaua’i community and serves on the Kaua’i Federal Credit Union Public Relations Committee, which was founded to support the credit union’s efforts to encourage education and community outreach. In addition to volunteering with the credit union, Jimenez coaches middle school volleyball and high school track, participates in beach clean-ups, and volunteers many hours for the Kaua’i Marathon. Jimenez has also dedicated countless hours as a Hawaiian culture expert, serving the community as a cultural preserver for her own Hawaiian culture. She guides credit union staff on advanced subjects such as Hawaiian history, factual encounters that may be quoted by the credit union, Hawaiian grammar, and general representation to the community. Jimenez helps to reassure that the credit union’s presence in the community is always good-intentioned and received well—or “pono.” Jimenez attends Kaua’i FCU annual meetings and provides quality feedback. She is always the first to sign up when the credit union is looking for a volunteer and, through her volunteer position on the Public Relations Committee, Jimenez has been heavily involved in the credit union’s community efforts. Her participation at Kaua’i FCU and involvement in the tightknit Kaua’i community does not go unnoticed by her peers. The credit union staff appreciates her fresh ideas and perspective. Jimenez believes that all community efforts are intertwined and that volunteering at the credit union “allows her to be part of something much bigger than herself.” Volunteer of the Year More Than $250M Arland White, Jr. Tower Federal Credit Union Laurel, Maryland Arland White, Jr. has been a member of Tower Federal Credit Union since 1982 and currently serves as the credit union’s Board of Directors Chairman. White has served on Tower’s Board for over 20 years and brings to the credit union over four decades of experience in finance and accounting. He is known to jump in when there is a need, and has previously volunteered for positions on Tower’s Supervisory, Executive Compensation, Budget, Planning, Nominating, and Educating and Training Committees. Over the past two decades, his various positions and duties at Tower have given him a unique perspective on the changes that have taken place over time in the financial industry—and at Tower specifically—and the impact those changes have on Tower members. White recently retired from the Department of Defense after having a distinguished 40-year career serving our country. White is known for being approachable, willing to listen and open to new ways of doing things. He strives to keep Tower on pace with the latest technologies and maximize the value Tower provides for its members. In 2022, Tower successfully completed a major upgrade of its core technology systems following two years of planning and strategizing. White was at the helm of the process, guiding the Board and Senior Management Team through often difficult and unfamiliar waters, while always keeping any impact the changes would have on Tower’s members at the forefront of the project. White is always looking for new ways that the credit union can give back to the community it serves, and to honor Department of Defense employees and veterans. His philanthropic nature is apparent in his generous nature, willingness to assist those in need and engagement with the TowerCares Foundation—the credit union’s philanthropic arm, the Board of which he also serves on. Under White’s leadership, Tower was ranked Maryland’s #1 Bestin-State Credit Union for 2021 and 2022 by Forbes Magazine and was one of only five credit unions statewide to make the list in 2020. White’s leadership style is zeroed in on three primary areas: providing superior service and consistently meeting members’ financial needs; keeping Tower a secure place that members can trust as a safe harbor for their accounts; and weighing all decisions based on what the impact would be for members.
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