Member Spotlight: John Godwin

CMBDC
April 7, 2009 | COMMENTS

John Godwin is vice president of business development/strategic alliances for MECU of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland. His credit union career path started when he was an insurance counselor at Maryland Insurance Group. “I got an offer to run accounting and data processing at Oldham Family Alliance Federal Credit Union in 1996,” says John. “In 2000 I was promoted to CEO. A year later I made the move to MECU, where I was a branch manager.”

In 2004 John became director of business development/strategic alliances and was promoted to vice president in 2007. He is also on the graduate school faculty at the University of Phoenix, where he facilitate classes in leadership and strategic planning.

Biggest challenge

We are trying to attract and retain great people, better promote the credit union philosophy, grow, and maintain our competitive edge against increasingly tough competition.

Best advice

Don't wait for happiness; work for happiness!

Greatest benefit of Council membership

Being around amazing people who are willing to cooperate and share!

Best part of my job

Seeing things (people, projects, departments, our credit union) grow and improve.

Hardest part of my job

Keeping control of my days.

Biggest misconception about my job

Well, the funniest misconception came from an employee who said "you all don't do much up there." But the biggest misconception is that we're only interested in growth. We're not—we're interested in quality growth.

Hobbies and interests

Spending time with my family, travel, reading, trying to write, the British Romantics, Catholicism, music, games, and reaching the pinnacle of mediocrity in chess.

Recent book

Other than The Bible, which I'm always reading, I just finished Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800 by John Ferling.

Life goal not yet accomplished

Publish a novel.

Favorite quote

Too many to list! "I don't feel tardy" (Van Halen) and "Resolve to perform what you ought and perform without fail what you resolve" (Benjamin Franklin). Wait—one more! “Go away, fat man" (Stewie Griffin).

Favorite music

Beethoven's 9th, Wu Tang Clan, Beasties, Kanye, Johnny Cash, Larry Graham ( you know the song!), Poison, REM, Psychedelic Furs, The Alarm, U2, Beatles.

If I could spend a day with anyone it would be . . .

My wife because she's wicked hot.

How I would explain the credit union difference

It's in the very nature of those who embrace the credit union philosophy to do as much as we can for others. That means we want to give more back to our members—not stockholders or other investors. All of our decisions are based on giving more to the members and to the community—not because it's good PR, but because it's the right thing to do. Then I'd show them MECU's outreach program.

> View John's Profile in CUNA Councils Connect