Member Spotlight: Laura Olson

CUNA Councils
April 28, 2008 | COMMENTS

Laura Olson is the marketing and business development manager at UNCLE Credit Union in Livermore, California —only five minutes away from her hometown of Pleasanton.

“I am incredibly passionate about the economic and community development of the region in which I live and work,” says Laura. “I came to UNCLE three years ago after working about five years at a local non-profit. It has been a wonderful experience to positively impact our local communities by offering quality financial products and services, and giving back through charitable giving and volunteering.”

Laura and her husband have been married for six years and are the proud "parents" of their wonderful dog, Jack.

Biggest challenge

Like many others, we are feeling the sting of the mortgage industry. Our credit union did not participate in subprime lending, but our members with mortages elsewhere are now faced with rising rates and increased monthly payments. It's our goal to help them weather this storm successfully.

Best advice

Get involved! I believe that the more you are involved in your company, your community, etc., the more rewarding work becomes. It is an opportunity to make work fun, build relationships, and have positive impacts in people's lives.

Greatest benefit of Council membership

The Council was incredibly beneficial to me when I was new to the industry. The wonderful members shared best practices with me and gave me very sound advice.

Now that I have been here for a few years, I enjoy the friendship and the fact that everyone wants the best for each other. This Council is truly an example of what the credit union spirit is all about!

Best part of my job

Ahh . . . where to begin?! I truly love the people I work with and the encouraging and energetic environment of our offices. It is fun to come to work and I never dread it!

I also am grateful for the flexibility and support I receive from our senior management. I sit on four non-profit boards and various committees. They allow me the time to engage in the community and understand that these activities are a direct benefit to the credit union by providing us with increased visibility and furthering our reputation for being committed to our community.

Hardest part of my job

There are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all I would like to do. We work in a world of endless possibilities and it is so tempting to try to achieve them all. I appreciate that our senior leadership makes the difficult decisions and sets sound priorities for us each year.

Success story

We celebrated our 50th anniversary in September of 2007. It was fun for our staff and our membership and I think it really reminded people of all we have done and continue to do for our members. It was a lot of work, but well worth it!

Biggest misconception people have about my job

That all I do is attend meetings and luncheons! While that is partially true and networking is a huge part of my job, there is a lot of technical work that goes in behind the scenes. We create our promotions entirely in-house, so coming up with the theme, design, parameters, tracking ROI, etc. all takes a lot of effort that isn't always visible.

Hobbies and interests

My husband and I love to travel and have been blessed with being able to visit Italy, the Caribbean, Ireland, and Scotland in recent years. We also are big sports fans, enjoy time spent with family, and go to as many concerts as possible (even when we are the oldest ones in the audience!).

Recent book

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Life goals not yet accomplished

To visit Egypt, run a major non-profit, and have children.

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

I would take my dog for a longer walk and call my best friend.

Favorite quote

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Music on my iPod or MP3 player

Primarily alternative—Nirvana, The Kooks, The Fray, Silversun Pickup, and some great local San Francisco bands.

If I could spend a day with anyone . . .

I would choose my mom and dad. They're beyond amazing and I enjoy any time we get to spend together. I am extremely blessed that we live very close by and that I get to see them often. They are both extremely bright and have been wonderful advisors and are an endless source of encouragement.

How would you describe/show the credit union difference to a potential new member?

Cooperative, caring, and committed. The cooperative spirit that defines credit unions is what resonates so loudly for me. The fact that members are owners is critical because it provides them with recourse and some control over their financial well-being. By supporting credit unions we are supporting our economy by providing options to consumers and making sure that there are affordable and quality financial services available for everyone in society.