With her 19th anniversary at First Credit Union approaching, Vice President of Member Experience, Kirsty Reid, is proud to be part of a co-operative financial institution that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion, and has a history of empowering women.
After completing her undergraduate degree, Reid returned to her hometown and began her career in First Credit Union’s wealth management department.
Reid’s interest in personal development and life-long learning was supported and encouraged as she took on new roles within the organization.
Shortly after joining the credit union, Reid earned her Certified Financial Planners designation and has since completed an Executive Certificate in Strategic Human Resources Management and become Lean Green belt certified.
In 2012, Reid was the recipient of the Canadian Credit Union Association’s National Young Leaders Award. She currently sits on several advisory groups for Aviso Wealth, the wealth management partner for many credit unions across Canada.
Her education, experience, and determination to help members improve their financial well-being have helped shape the member experience strategy for First Credit Union.
Reid is grateful for her role models and grateful that First Credit Union has so many women in leadership roles.
“Our senior team, led by CEO Linda Bowyer, features a balance between genders. That’s something that has developed over the years as we’ve seen more women attain management and senior executive roles,” says Reid.
In addition to empowering women within organizations, Reid believes that it’s essential to support and elevate women in our communities and around the world.
“A couple of years ago, we hosted a female leader from Ghana as part of the Co-operative Development Foundation’s Women’s Mentorship Program,” says Reid. “Women from around the world are hosted at Canadian credit unions to share knowledge and experiences on the day-to-day operations, policies and services that they will take back and apply in their home countries.”
The journey towards inclusion is a fundamental part of the credit union identity. Credit unions were the first financial institutions in Canada to offer women loans without requiring a male co-signer in the 1960s.
“I feel fortunate to work in a system that recognizes the value and importance of women and works to lower the existing barriers that stand in our collective way as we progress towards gender parity,” says Reid.
“I applaud the work being done by my peers and all our community partners as we all work towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world.”
For more information about First Credit Union visit their website at firstcu.ca.
