CEO of the Year $500M or Less Charlotte Nemec Canopy Credit Union Spokane, Washington In her fifth year as President and CEO of Canopy Credit Union, Charlotte Nemec continues to lead the credit union on a journey of growth and innovation. Nemec started her career at Canopy in 1995, previously serving as the HR Manager and the Vice President of Administration. Throughout her tenure, she has led the organization through major strategic initiatives, including rebranding, building two new branches and implementing interactive teller machines. Nemec’s ability to create an innovative and relationship-focused culture shines through Canopy’s successes. With 60 employees serving three counties in the Inland Northwest, Canopy punches above its weight class and is at the forefront of technology and innovation. Canopy was recently named as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Businesses in the Northwest. At Canopy, colleagues recognize that Nemec’s leadership is instrumental in creating a culture where employees and members experience belonging and feel valued. Nemec meets with every new hire during their first week and again when they hit the 90-day mark to create a meaningful relationship with every teammate. In June 2022 when inflation increased dramatically, she took bold and compassionate steps to support employees by surprising them with a $500 bonus. The attention and care that goes into Canopy’s culture was recognized in 2022 when American Banker named Canopy as the seventh best credit union to work for in the country. Day-to-day, Nemec works closely with Canopy’s board of directors, coming up with unique solutions for the credit union and ways to partner with community organizations and nonprofits. She champions maximizing Canopy’s resources, resulting in 2022 being a record year for donations to local nonprofits and community partners. Additional records were broken last year as Canopy conducted 86 financial education workshops and 201 free financial coaching sessions. Nemec’s dedication to living out the credit union mission of “People Helping People” encourages the whole team to shine brightly. She is an active member of the community, having key leadership roles on the boards for the GoWest Foundation, Greater Spokane Incorporated, the Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant, and Whitworth University’s Institute of Leadership. Nemec’s courageous leadership and desire for employees and members to bring their whole story to the table continues to result in growth for Canopy as it strives to create a happier and healthier community through financial inclusion. 26 THE NAFCU JOURNAL September–October 2023
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