Member Spotlight: Mike Penix

CUNA Marketing & BD Council
August 12, 2009 | COMMENTS

Mike Penix is director of marketing for Members Choice of Central Texas in Waco. With degrees in communication and business, Mike has worked as an operations manager, account executive, and marketing executive in several industries before joining Members Choice of Central Texas as marketing director in 2003.

“I am blessed to have worked with and learned from many talented, dedicated, and extraordinary people,” says Mike. “My goal is to do the most productive thing possible, at every given moment.”

Biggest challenges

Balancing rising expenses vs. product/services margins. Finding quality employees. Staying current while margins are shrinking.

Best advice

Find out who your members are.

Greatest benefit of Council membership

Sharing successes and failures with peers; learning through the experiences of others.

Best part of my job

Seeing a project through, from infancy to fruition, and learning what may be improved/altered to make the project more successful.

Hardest part of my job

Dealing with people who don't understand that we must change and improve in order to exist.

Recent success story

New web page design and implementation of marketing campaign (2008) that increased e-statements by 42.87%, online bill-pay by 21.83%, home banking by 12.74%, and "captured e-mail addresses of members" by 19.98%.

Biggest misconception about my job

People don't understand what marketing is –it isn't about running ads, buying pens, and telling your whole story in a print ad. Marketing is a discipline that begins in the parking lot, front lobby, on the web, how you answer the phone, and how employees treat members.

Hobbies and interests

Jazz, tobacciana, and sports.

Recent book

Don Quixote by Cervantes.

Life goal not yet accomplished

Seeing and experiencing tomorrow.

Something that always makes me laugh

Seinfeld.

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

There is no need for an extra hour in the day. Someone would find a reason to tax it, take it away, or spoil it.

Favorite quote

“Everyone must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.”

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

My mother because I'd like her to know that I'm well and I'd like to thank her again for all that she did for me. I miss her.

How I would explain the credit union difference to a potential new member

Give me a whiteboard and markers—we'll have a new member in less than five minutes.

> Visit Mike's profile in CUNA Councils Connect