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From the
CEO
Spring 2012
614.707.4000 or 800.233.6880
Over the past few weeks there has been a flurry of activity in my office. I’ve been sorting
through files, shredding old memos that have long lost relevance and have reminisced over
photographs taken during the past 40 years. No, it’s not spring cleaning. I’ve been putting my
office in order for its next occupant. My official retirement date from BMI Federal Credit Union
is May 31, 2012.
It was September 1969 when I was hired as a secretary in Battelle’s Metallurgy Department. I
loved that first job but, as things do sometimes happen, my job was eliminated a year later and
I started looking for another position in Battelle. There was an opening for a secretary in the
credit union. I have to admit I wasn’t totally enthused at first, but there certainly was an oppor-
tunity for a variety of duties. There were no computers then. Loans had to be processed manu-
ally and loan documents were typed. Jack Deibert, BMI FCU Manager, was very actively involved
in the credit union industry’s trade associations, so there was lots of correspondence to manage.
I took the job thinking that the position would just be a stepping stone to another secretarial position in Battelle.
As the Credit Union grew and evolved, so did my job responsibilities. Through Jack I had the opportunity to learn about
the credit union industry and its dedication to helping members. I grew from secretary to loan officer, to supervisor of
lending and to assistant manager. Jack retired and Glenn Beaber became Manager. Titles changed and Kevin Kessinger
was hired as President/CEO in 1982. He left in 1986 to take the CEO position at a larger credit union. That’s when the BMI
FCU Board of Directors gave me the opportunity to lead this Credit Union. The past twenty-five years have been an amaz-
ing journey. I want to thank the individuals who served on the Board in 1986 and who placed their trust in me, and to all
those who have served since, for their continued support.
There has been a myriad of changes in financial services during my credit union career. I’ve been able to watch the evolu-
tion of ATMs, credit and debit cards, online banking, and now mobile banking. And as financial services expanded so did
service delivery at your credit union. We’ve opened branches and built two operation centers during my tenure as CEO.
When I was hired as a secretary in 1970, BMI FCU had $6M in assets, seven employees and the entire credit union was
housed in the space currently occupied by our Battelle branch. Today your credit union has $370M in assets, five locations,
90 employees and offers literally every consumer financial service. That’s quite a change.
I’ve had some extraordinary personal experiences during my career at BMI FCU. I was honored to be asked by our national
credit union trade association to testify in Washington, D.C. at a Congressional Committee hearing on a bill that affected
credit unions. I’ve served on numerous credit union industry boards and committees, including seven years on the board
of our national credit union professional association. Every meeting I attended gave me a greater appreciation of our mis-
sion and of the message I learned from Jack Deibert – credit unions are here to make their members’ lives better.
While involvement in outside activities is exciting, the real joy of my career has been working with our staff. There have
been staff changes over the years, but there are several employees who have been with me during my entire 25-year tenure
as CEO. Two former BMI FCU staff members are currently CEOs of other credit unions. That makes me very proud. Every
day I am thankful for the opportunity to work with this group of individuals who are so smart, so professional and so dedi-
cated to making BMI FCU the premier credit union. I am also very pleased with the Board’s selection of Bill Allender as my
successor. I’ve worked with Bill for the past nine years and I know his commitment to BMI FCU. The Credit Union will be
in great hands.
As I gently close the door on my credit union career I look forward to having more time to spend with my wonderful hus-
band. There will be more travel, golf and time with family and friends in our future. I have absolutely no concern about
what to do in retirement. I’ve been given terrific advice by my retired directors.
And last but certainly not least, thank you, my friends, for an amazing 40 years. Not everyone gets the opportunity to work
with 27,000 friends, but that’s how I feel about the incredible members who make up BMI Federal Credit Union.
I wish you all good health and much happiness.
Sharon