Member Spotlight: Rick Cheatum

CUNA Councils
December 31, 2007 | COMMENTS

Rick Cheatum is vice president of marketing and human resources for Idaho State University Federal Credit Union. Born and raised in Kansas, Rick received a degree in broadcast journalism and radio news from the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism. After working in radio for 13 years, followed by a 20-year career in the car business (during which time he served on the board of directors for two credit unions), before joining Idaho State University Federal Credit Union.

He and his wife Debra have been married 30 years and live in Pocatello, where they spend much of their free time in Idaho's outdoors, “hunting, fishing, camping and exploring the bounty of public land Idaho contains, especially during the beautiful fall,” says Rick. “Living in Pocatello means we are three hours or less from Yellowstone Park, Jackson Hole, Salt Lake City, and Sun Valley.”

Biggest challenge

Adjusting to a new CEO and the changes that always come with new leadership.

Best advice

Never promise something you can't deliver, and always deliver what you promise.

Greatest benefit of Council membership

It's nice to know others face many of the same challenges and that you aren't the lone voice crying in the wilderness. Attending the annual conference is a big highlight.

Best part of my job

The variety of tasks that must be addressed each day.

Hardest part of my job

Coming up with new ideas, or, even harder, new ways of presenting old ideas.

Hobbies and interests

Hunting, shooting, coin collecting, metal detecting.

People would be surprised to learn that . . .

I am among the top 10% of people in the world operating the computer program "Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence."

Recent book

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Life goal not yet accomplished

Travel to Civil War battlefields.

Something that always makes me laugh

The cartoon strip "Non-Sequitor."

If I had an extra hour in the day . . .

I would take a college class.