Mark Brooks, Juanita Jones, and Todd Swims pose for a photo after her selection as the 2021 Jefferson Awards finalist.

Leaders Credit Union and WBBJ-TV hosted the Annual Multiplying Good press conference for the 2020-2021 West Tenn. recipients on Thurs., June 24, at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. Juanita Jones of “Keep My Hood Good” was selected as the West Tennessee national nominee for the 2021 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Service Benefiting Local Communities.

For the fourth year, Leaders Credit Union has partnered with WBBJ-TV to bring Multiplying Good’s Jefferson Award to the West Tennessee community. The Jefferson Awards honors community champions who are “ordinary people doing extraordinary things without expectation of recognition.” The awards are given at both national and local levels. Since May 2018, a new honoree has been selected each month locally. Recipients are nominated by their peers and selected by the Jefferson Awards/Multiplying Good committee members of West Tennessee. Our 2020-2021 West Tennessee winners include:

Award recipients are volunteers and champions for numerous charities and causes across West Tennessee, including youth mentorships, community events, veteran service, homeless service, disaster recovery, and beyond. A video package for each recipient can be viewed by visiting the WBBJ-TV website at https://www.wbbjtv.com/multiplyinggood/.

“We are honored to be a small part of bringing our community’s champions into the light for others, and we along with WBBJ have been blessed to hear each genuine story and witness their passion of how they advocate for positive change,” said Todd Swims, President and CEO of Leaders Credit Union. “Their passion in action has and will continue to create lasting change in the lives of those whom they serve and throughout West Tennessee.”

Jaunita Jones of Jackson, Tenn., was selected as the West Tenn. national nominee for the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award representing the greatest possible service to a local community by a private citizen. The national Jefferson Awards event will occur in September, presented as a one-hour live stream online.

Jones began “Keep My Hood Good” in 2010 in east Jackson to help break generational poverty cycles in under-served communities. With little resources, Jones began meeting and mentoring teens any place she could. Over time, Jones continued to meet with teens weekly and even created “safe words” for teens to use when they needed assistance in their home environments.

“Multiplying Good is very honored to partner with Leaders Credit Union and WBBJ-TV to bring the awards to the West Tennessee community and to celebrate the accomplishments and service of local neighbors,” said Brady Tanner, Senior Director, Recognition Programs at Multiplying Good. “We are excited for this year’s national nominee and look forward to celebrating Jaunita through our national event.”

If you would like to nominate a champion in your community, visit leaderscu.com or www.wbbjtv.com and follow the prompts.

Mark Brooks, Teri Jelks, and Todd Swims pose for a photo with the 2021 Jefferson Award honorees. Award honorees pictured, left to right on the back row are Shelley Hayes, Jackie Utley, Jaunita Jones, Terry Tatum, Curtis Reichhold, Kennedy Pearson-Rodgers and Ella Watkins. Edward Mitchell is on the front row.

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the Best Place to Bank by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice and is placed in the top 1% of credit unions nationwide by depositaccounts.com. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit the website.

Leaders Education Foundation, a non-profit 501C-3 formed by Leaders Credit Union, is pleased to award ten West Tennessee educators with the L.E.A.D.S. Educator Grant. This program awards ten $1,000 grants to area educators whose initiatives empower students to Learn, Experience, Advocate, Dream, and Serve.

“The L.E.A.D.S. Educator Grant embodies who we are as an organization because we are here to serve, advocate and educate our members and allow them to dream of a new future,” said Leigh Anne Bentley, President of Leaders Education Foundation. “Especially in 2020, we are proud to support educators as they navigate through an uncertain school year.”

Grant proposals range from funds for agriculture livestock pasture, a virtual field trip, band program equipment, to funding for a school broadcasting drone. Grant submissions included a short video explaining the need and use of the grant money. Twelve proposals were submitted, and the top ten winners were chosen by the community via social media voting. Winners include:

Grant Project: Bradford Agriculture Livestock Pasture

Grant Project: Band iPad

Grant Project: Podcast Recording Equipment

Grant Project: Virtual Field Trip to Jamestown, Virginia

Grant Project: Student Study Spots

Grant Project: Class Fundraiser Campaign

Grant Project: Eagle Vision Network Drone Project

Grant Project: Madison’s Academic Decathlon

Grant Project: Robots in the Classroom

Grant Project: Books for Scholars

“We’ve been amazed with each grant submission we received,” Bentley said. “Success is in the power of people helping people, and we plan to continue to lead the way.”

About Leaders Education Foundation

Leaders Education Foundation is as a non-profit 501c3 organization based in Jackson, Tenn. Established in 2019, the Foundation allows community-minded citizens, members, and organizations to unite to makes lives better together. The Foundation invests back into the local community through scholarships, grants, and financial literacy resources to provide educational opportunities promoting workforce development, job enhancement, lifelong learning, and training for students, teachers, and our community. For more information about Leaders Education Foundation, please visit its website.

Leaders Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Jackson, Tenn., has been named one of the 2020’s Best Credit Unions to Work For for the second consecutive year. Credit Union Journal has partnered with Best Companies Group to identify companies that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees. The 2020 Best list is made up of the top 50 credit unions, and Leaders placed number 7 in their asset category and 18 overall. The full Best Credit Unions to Work For list is featured in American Banker, formerly Credit Union Journal.

“We are very pleased to be named in the top twenty of credit union workplaces in the nation,” Todd Swims, president and CEO of Leaders Credit Union, said. “At Leaders, we know service excellence begins with our Financial Champions, and our job at Leaders is to take care of them so that together, we can serve our members.”

Leaders Credit Union serves West Tenn. and currently has 165 employees in Jackson, Milan, Union City, and Bartlett and has been named the Best Place to Bank by the Jackson Sun Readers Choice Awards for the past six years.

“Leaders champions (employees) are passionate, genuine, and advocate for our members,” said Erin Mitchell, VP of Champions. “Our reputation precedes us and therefore, we attract others that fit our brand mold.”

Leaders benefits and company culture play a large role in the success of the 63-year-old company. In addition to standard employee benefits, Leaders offers four weeks of paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child. Leaders subscribes to the AirMedCare Network, a team of life-flight helicopters that can transport employees during a medical emergency for free. Leaders encourages wellness by covering the membership cost of a local gym. As an added benefit, a Sam’s membership is covered by Leaders for all full-time employees.

In addition to the benefit perks, Leaders employees share that the company culture and relationships with fellow employees play a large role in their overall employee satisfaction. Employees can utilize a private web forum to leave positive feedback and recognition for their colleagues. Leaders attracts millennial and Gen Z employees by offering a relaxed atmosphere at its e-branch where there is no dress code and music is always playing. During the height of the pandemic, Leaders frequently provided lunch to employees and made every effort to keep all staff safe and updated. Also, the company works to keep work fun. Recently in celebration of the CEO celebrating 30 years, all staff dressed in 90’s attire with 90’s retro designs running in the branches.

Determining the Best Credit Unions to Work involved a two-step process. The first consisted of evaluating each participating credit union’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second consisted of employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of individual employees concerning their workplace. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the final ranking.

“Credit unions, deservedly, are recognized for their commitment to the communities they serve, said Aaron Passman, Editor in Chief of Credit Union Journal. “Our annual ranking recognizes those that go above and beyond in terms of their employees’ job satisfaction, career development, and personal growth.”

To be considered for participation, credit unions had to have at least 25 employees working in the U.S. and been in business a minimum of one year. Best Companies Group managed the registration and survey process and also analyzed the data and to determine the final ranking.

“Being a member at Leaders Credit Union is a great experience. Working at Leaders is even better,” noted Mitchell. “We are constantly growing and looking for outstanding employees who make a positive impact internally and externally.”

To learn more about available positions at Leaders, visit LeadersCU.org/contact-us/careers/ and click on the careers portal.

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. Leaders was established in 1957 by five Jackson educators and has grown to over 55,000 members and eight branches across West Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the 2015 - 2020 Best Place to Bank by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice and was placed in the top 1% of credit unions nationwide by depositaccounts.com. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit the website.

Karen Freeman is promoted to Chief Operations Officer and Ryan Platt is promoted to Chief Information Officer at Leaders Credit Union.

Leaders Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Jackson, Tenn., is pleased to introduce Karen Freeman as Chief Operations Officer and Ryan Platt as Chief Information Officer. Freeman, formally Vice President of Community Engagement for Leaders, will oversee all branch and e-branch operations, which includes eight retail facilities and the member contact center. Platt, new to Leaders, will oversee the data processing departments and be responsible for both cybersecurity and technology security for the credit union. Both roles will collaborate with the CEO, board of directors, and other executives to strategically move the credit union forward.

“Karen and Ryan are both excellent additions to our C-suite, and we are thrilled they are bringing their talents and expertise to our executive team,” President and CEO of Leaders Credit Union Todd Swims said. “Karen brings extensive experience in the banking industry and an innovative outlook from her recent role of taking the credit union to the community that our team will benefit from greatly. Platt brings a wealth of knowledge about information technology that will help our credit union move forward both analytically and digitally.”

As the Chief Operations Officer, Freeman will be responsible for all member-facing operations. She will work with the organization’s products, services, and staff to enhance and grow technology, engagement, and service levels. Freeman champions Leaders’ mission and vision and will manage the human resources and training departments. This ensures a positive experience for all staff and members as the credit union grows both internally and externally.

Freeman has over 17 years of combined financial services experience, specifically in the areas of bank marketing and business development. Freeman is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin with a degree in Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations. Freeman began her financial marketing career in Nashville with a uniquely designed state-wide bank. Since that time, Karen has had the opportunity to work with banks ranging in size from start-up financial institutions to nearly two-billion-dollar assets. Freeman has been a part of the Leaders team since 2017, where she has harnessed and grown our community engagement relations and team both externally and internally.

Freeman contributed to the Sheshunoff Consulting + Solutions BankersWeb speaker series, speaking on various banking topics, which led to a collaboration with two other speakers to develop and administer an electronic banking certification program. Over the last six years, Karen has led and facilitated live sessions for Sheshunoff’s Consulting + Solutions annual Technology & Operations Officers Affiliations Program.

Freeman is active in the community and American Heart Association where has served as Heart Walk Chair and currently serves on the Go Red Executive Leadership Team, chairing the Circle of Red in 2020-2021. Freeman is in her third year as Treasurer of the Old Hickory Rotary Club. As a 2016 Leadership Jackson graduate, she has served on the Leadership University Board and is actively serving on the Leadership Jackson University Board. Freeman was recognized as a member of Jackson’s Finest in 2015, was honored with the Sterling Award in 2018, and was chosen as a Credit Union Rock Star in 2020 by Credit Union Magazine. Freeman is a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Alamo First Christian Church. She, her husband, Ryan, and two children reside in Alamo, Tenn.

Ryan Platt is an accomplished strategic leader, experienced in harnessing the power of technology to increase profitability and competitiveness. Platt has over 15 years of experience in information technology with large companies in the southeast. Platt earned a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and went on to graduate with an M.B.A. at Arkansas State University. Most recently, Platt has held the position of CIO at EnSafe Inc. located in Memphis, Tenn., since 2015. At EnSafe, Inc., Platt developed a long-term strategic vision for digital transformation and continuous improvement that employs the power of technology to increase profitability and agility. Platt also successfully integrated three acquired companies, harmonizing resources to optimize spend, and improve productivity.

Platt is an active member and deacon at Bellevue Baptist Church, where he, his wife Kendra, and two children attend. Platt resides in Memphis with his family.

Additional members of the Leaders executive team include: Todd Swims, Chief Executive Officer; Spencer Pratt, Executive Vice President; Seth Rudd, Chief Finance Officer; and Leigh Anne Bentley, Chief Marketing Officer. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit their website at leaderscu.com.

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. Leaders was established in 1957 by five Jackson educators and has grown to over 55,000 members and eight branches across West Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the 2018-19 Best Place to Bank and Best Mortgage Service by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice Award and the 2018-20 Best Place to Bank by the Bartlett Express. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit their website.

Leaders Credit Union and WBBJ-TV are proud to announce Dale Childress, of Woodstock Bake Shop and the “Livin a Dream” Foundation in Jackson, was selected as the West Tenn. national nominee at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Awards celebration. Due to an upswing in COVID-19, the annual Jefferson Awards luncheon was cancelled. The national awards ceremony will take place virtually from Washington, D.C.

For the third year, Leaders Credit Union has partnered with WBBJ-TV to bring the Jefferson Award Foundation’s Multiplying Good Awards to the West Tennessee community. Multiplying Good honors community champions who are “ordinary people doing extraordinary things without expectation of recognition.” The awards are given at both national and local levels. Since May 2019, a new honoree has been selected each month. Recipients are nominated by their peers and chosen by the Multiplying Good committee members of West Tennessee. The 2019-2020 West Tennessee winners include:

• Abby Little: Jackson, Tenn.

• Ola Graham: Jackson, Tenn.

• Dottie Gaines: Humboldt, Tenn.

• Dale Childress: Jackson, Tenn.

• Ann Cupples: Jackson, Tenn.

• Rhodes Barnette: Jackson, Tenn.

• Bennie Denton: Jackson, Tenn.

• Amy Crenshaw: Jackson, Tenn.

• Alex Beene: Henderson, Tenn.

• Sharlene Thompson: Henderson, Tenn.

• Jennifer Burns: Jackson, Tenn.

• Sharon Clayton: Scotts Hill, Tenn.

Award recipients are volunteers and champions for numerous charities and causes across West Tennessee, including mentorships, community events, veteran service, homeless service, scholarship fundraising, blood donation, and beyond. A video package on each recipient can be viewed on the WBBJ-TV website here.

“We are honored to be a small part of bringing our community’s champions into the light for others to be inspired by, and model after,” said Todd Swims, President and CEO of Leaders Credit Union. “By honoring these unsung heroes, we can say thank you, and your work does not go unnoticed.”

Dale Childress is surrounded by employees from WBBJ-TV and Leaders Credit Union.

Dale Childress of Jackson, Tenn., was selected as the West Tenn. national nominee for the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award, representing the greatest possible service to a local community by a private citizen. The national Jefferson Awards Foundation event will take place in September, presented as a one-hour live stream online.

Childress makes a positive impact in the Jackson community by hand-writing encouraging messages inside take out boxes at Woodstock Bake Shop, his son Matt’s business. He also co-founded the “Livin a Dream” Foundation, which helps raise money for people diagnosed with cancer. Childress continues his own fourteen-year cancer battle, which inspires him to help others through their cancer journeys.

“The Jefferson Awards Foundation is very honored to partner with Leaders Credit Union and WBBJ-TV to bring the awards to the West Tennessee community and to celebrate the accomplishments and service of local neighbors,” said Margaret Nasta, Vice President of Media Partners for the Jefferson Awards. “We are excited for this year’s national nominee and look forward to celebrating them.”

If you would like to nominate a champion in your community, visit leaderscu.com or www.wbbjtv.com, and follow the prompts.

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the Best Place to Bank by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice and is placed in the top 1% of credit unions nationwide by depositaccounts.com. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit the website.

Leaders Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Jackson, Tenn., selects its fourth consecutive Cornerstone Advisory Board. The Cornerstone Advisory Committee is made up of ten community members between the ages of 18-35, serve a two-year term, and provide feedback to Leaders.

Leaders developed the Cornerstone Advisory Board in 2017 to maintain awareness of the latest consumer trends and member needs for the next generation. The Cornerstone advisory board members possess a strong knowledge of the community represented and have experienced success in their academic and/or professional career. Members of the current Cornerstone Advisory Board include:

“This group consistently provides insight to help improve our member experiences,” said Leigh Anne Bentley, Chief Marketing Officer for Leaders. “It is important for Leaders to listen to various generations in the different industries to get a more in-depth perspective on their needs, how to fulfill them and how to better serve the community together.”

Cornerstone Advisory Board Members provide insight, as well as, provide suggestions and feedback new products, services and outreach to the community.

“I am very much aligned with the goals and focus of Leaders,” Cornerstone Advisory Board member Michelle Willis said. “I value using the skills gained in my time as a human resources professional to help support Leaders’ vision for its members.”

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the West Tennessee, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the Best Place to Bank by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice and is placed in the top 10% of credit unions nationwide by depositaccounts.com. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit their website.

Leaders Credit Union Financial Champions pose at the Boys and Girls club after a day of service.

Leaders Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Jackson, Tenn., spread holiday cheer with their 4th annual “From Leaders with Love” Christmas project. This season, over 100 Leaders Financial Champions performed 24 projects at the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson. Projects included deep cleaning the facility, assembling shelving, coat hooks, and foosball tables; painting and installing doors; raking leaves; spreading pea gravel; decorating for Christmas, and more. Christmas trees were also purchased for their additional locations.

“At Leaders, our mission is to make the lives of our members better,” said Todd Swims, president and CEO. “Our work at the Boys & Girls Club was simply an extension of our legacy and mission, and we are honored to be their advocate.”

Financial Champions rake leaves and spread pea gravel on the grounds of the Boys & Girls Club of Jackson.

Leaders released a compilation video on Giving Tuesday highlighting the projects and encouraging the community to Give Forward as well. Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson Sabrina Anderson said community members may volunteer both physically and monetarily to assist the club.

“Leaders work lifted the spirits of both our staff and our kids here at the Boys and Girls Club, and we can’t say thank you enough,” Anderson said. “If every organization would give back as Leaders did, we would never have any maintenance issues.”

Financial Champions deep cleaned classrooms and common areas at the Boys & Girls Club of Jackson.

To Give Forward to the Boys & Girls Club of Jackson, you can purchase from their wishlist at their Amazon Smile link.

To watch the video of From Leaders with Love, visit Leaders Facebook Page. To learn more about Leaders Credit Union, visit the website at Leaderscu.com.

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. Leaders was established in 1957 by five Jackson educators and has grown to over 50,000 members and eight branches across West Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the 2018 Best Place to Bank and Best Mortgage Service by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice Award and the 2018 Best Place to Bank by the Bartlett Express. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit their website.

Leaders Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Jackson, Tenn., has been named one of the 2019 Best Credit Unions to Work For. Credit Union Journal has partnered with Best Companies Group to identify companies that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees. The 2019 list is made up of 50 credit unions, and Leaders placed number five in their asset category and 18 overall. The full Best Credit Unions to Work For list is featured at CUJournal.com.

“We are very pleased to be named in the top twenty of credit union workplaces in the nation,” Todd Swims, president and CEO of Leaders Credit Union, said. “At Leaders, we know service excellence begins with our Financial Champions, and our job at Leaders is to take care of them so that together, we can serve our members.”

Leaders Credit Union serves West Tenn. and currently has 150 employees in Jackson, Milan, Union City, and Bartlett and has been named the Best Place to bank by the Jackson Sun Readers Choice Awards for the past five years.

“Leaders champions (employees) are passionate, genuine and advocate for our members,” said Erin Mitchell, VP of Human Resources. “Our reputation precedes us and therefore we attract others that fit our brand mold.”

Leaders benefits and company culture play a large role in the success of the 62-year-old company. Leaders hosts quarterly meetings where employees have the opportunity to discuss successes from the previous three months, employees can utilize a private web forum to leave positive feedback and recognition for their colleagues, full and partial-paid parental leave are available following the birth or adoption of a child and events such as Shark Tank, modeled after the television show, allowed employees to pitch ideas to the leadership team were some of the items listed in the national publication of reasons Leaders was chosen for this honor.

Determining the Best Credit Unions to Work For involved a two-step process. The first consisted of evaluating each participating credit union’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second consisted of employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the final ranking.

“Credit unions, deservedly, are recognized for their commitment to the communities they serve, said Aaron Passman, Editor in Chief of Credit Union Journal. “Our annual ranking recognizes those that go above and beyond in terms of their employees’ job satisfaction, career development and personal growth.”

To be considered for participation, credit unions had to have at least 25 employees working in the U.S. and been in business a minimum of one year. Best Companies Group managed the registration and survey process and also analyzed the data and to determine the final ranking.

“Being a member at Leaders Credit Union is a great experience. Working at Leaders is even better,” noted Mitchell. “We are constantly growing and looking for outstanding employees who make a positive impact internally and externally.”

To learn more about available positions at Leaders, visit https://www.leaderscu.org/contact-us/careers/ and click on the careers portal.

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. Leaders was established in 1957 by five Jackson educators and has grown to over 50,000 members and eight branches across West Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the 2015 - 2019 Best Place to Bank by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice and was placed in the top 1% of credit unions nationwide by depositaccounts.com. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit its website.

Leaders Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Jackson, Tenn., is pleased to announce five leadership promotions within the credit union. Leigh Anne Bentley has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, Karen Freeman to Vice President of Community Engagement, Trent Taylor to Vice President of Indirect Lending, Joel Wyatt to Vice President of Consumer Lending, and Kim Hawks to Electronic Payments Manager.

"These promotions reflect our company's commitment to excellence," noted Todd Swims, President and CEO of Leaders Credit Union. "We have built a reputation on great member relations and the highest standards of integrity, which requires that we recruit, retain, and recognize individuals for their leadership and contributions to our organization.”

Leigh Anne Bentley has been promoted from V.P. of Marketing to Chief Marketing Officer at Leaders. Bentley has acquired twenty years of marketing experience and has been with Leaders since the Fall of 2016. In that time, Bentley has grown and developed Leaders community presence, overseen business development, handled strategic marketing, media buying, digital strategy, and member engagement. She is married to Glenn Bentley and resides in Jackson, TN.

Karen Freeman has been promoted from Business Development Manager to V.P. of Community Engagement. Freeman has over 16 years of combined financial services experience specifically in the areas of bank marketing and business development. Freeman has been with Leaders since Jan. 2017 and has expanded and deepened Leaders relationships with Select Employee Groups and the community. She and her team take the credit union to the community and consistently deliver relevant financial solutions and customized educational courses to Leaders Select Employee Groups, organizations and members. She is married to Ryan Freeman and has two children.

Trent Taylor has been promoted from Indirect Program Manager to V.P. of Indirect Lending. Taylor started with Leaders in 2013 and has over 30 years of experience in the financial industry. At Leaders, Taylor has managed and grown our Indirect Lending Program over the past six years and has a proven track record of success. He has taken the program from $28 Million in annual volume to over $100 million annually. He works with over fifty dealerships in the West TN market and helps members success through this indirect channel. It allows new members to recognize Leaders as a viable option for all their financial needs. He also manages Leaders Edge CUSO (Credit Union Service Organization) providing underwriting to other credit unions. There he works with another 150 dealerships in Tennessee and Kentucky and processes over a billion dollars in loan requests each year. He is married to Joanne Taylor and has two step-children and two grandchildren.

Joel Wyatt has been promoted from Director of Consumer lending to V.P. of Consumer Lending. Wyatt began with Leaders as a student in 2006 and full time in 2012. He has served as an accounting assistant, teller, member service representative, branch manager, data analyst, and director of consumer lending. With his longevity and breadth of knowledge in various areas of the credit union, he was a natural fit to take on this Vice President role. He has proven to elevate Leaders and provide the best consumer lending practices to support membership and help Leaders grow year over year. Wyatt is married to Katie Beth Wyatt and recently had their first baby.

Kim Hawks has been promoted from Electronic Funds Specialist to Electronic Payments Manager. Hawks has been with Leaders since 1995 and has 24 years of experience in the industry. She has served as a teller, collection manager, administrative assistant and in electronic funds transfer services. Hawks has proven to be a lifetime financial champion for the team at every level at Leaders. In this managerial position, Hawks will oversee all electronic transfer services, debit and credit card management and works to prevent fraud in all electronic channels. She has been married to Fred Hawks for 39 years and has one son.

“These financial champions are passionate team players who consistently work to advocate for our members and exceed expectations, all while growing our organization and expanding services,” said Swims.

Leaders employs around 150 financial champions and serves over 50,000 members. Leaders is the third-largest financial institution in Jackson and is locally and nationally recognized as a top-performing credit union. To learn more about Leaders, visit our website at leaderscu.com.

About Leaders Credit Union

Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. Leaders was established in 1957 by five Jackson educators and has grown to over 50,000 members and eight branches across West Tenn. As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to serve the needs of its members and lead the way on their behalf. Leaders was awarded the 2018 Best Place to Bank and Best Mortgage Service by Jackson Sun’s Readers’ Choice Award and the 2018 Best Place to Bank by the Bartlett Express. Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit their website.

Todd Swims (President & CEO), Noah Simpson, Katelyn Thornton, Shelby Exline, Ansley Wofford, Shea Brown (Leaders)

Leaders Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Jackson, Tenn., is committed to investing in the communities they serve through their Champion Scholarship Program. The late Mrs. Martha Britt served for over 30 years in the Jackson-Madison County School System and was instrumental in promoting educational opportunities for local students through her involvement with the Board of Directors and scholarship committee at Leaders. These awards are given in her honor and champions like her who help their communities move forward. Each award is given to a student who portrays leadership in their school and community and who are members or related to a member of Leaders Credit Union. This year, Leaders Credit Union is proud to collectively award over $10,000 to seven deserving students.

“Our Champion Scholarships honor both our past and our future here at Leaders Credit Union,” said Todd Swims, President and CEO of Leaders Credit Union. “We are proud to be a small part of these students’academic journeys toward success and look forward to seeing them excel in the future.”

The Financial Wellness Video Scholarship awards $2,500 to a student who provides a video application detailing the importance of financial literacy. Noah Simpson, a graduate of Madison Academic High School, was awarded the Financial Wellness Video Scholarship for his production of a short video highlighting tips for financial fitness to his peers. Video submissions were voted on by the public on Leaders Facebook page and Noah’s video engaged over 11,000 viewers in West Tennessee.

The Leaders Founders Scholarship honors Leaders’ founding membership group, the Jackson-Madison County School System, with one $1,500 scholarship to a student within JMCSS. The student who is receiving the Founders Scholarship is Katelyn Thornton, a graduate of Madison Academic High School.

Leaders also awards $1,500 Community Scholarships to students in Madison County, Bartlett, Obion County, Gibson County, and all other areas served by the credit union. This year, the community scholarship winners are Shelby Exline (South Gibson County High School), Wilson Harris (Union City High School), and Ansley Wofford (Sacred Heart of Jesus High School).

Leaders Credit Union was able to award two additional $1,000 scholarships to two deserving Leaders members who are current college students. Each student is enrolled in local programs in West Tennessee. This year, the students receiving these scholarships are Brooke Woodard (University of Memphis-Lambuth) and Melissa Craigie (Jackson State Community College).

Recipients were honored and publicly recognized at Leaders’ Member Appreciation Night at the Jackson Generals ballgame on June 15, 2019.