Why should you vote for me?

A member should vote for me because:

• I care about members’ well-being and engage to understand needs

• My professional expertise and credentials are aligned with Conexus' purpose

• I understand what success looks like

• I make decisions to bring vision to life

What do you see as some of the strategic opportunities and challenges facing Conexus Credit Union in the next 2-5 years?

Conexus decisions must be directly tied to you, the member.  A 'member first' philosophy.

The opportunities are significant, and include redefining 'community' in a digital age; connecting with youth and underserved markets in a meaningful way; and creating digital services that are tailored to a member's unique situation and delivered in a way that makes the service easy to use, safe and secure.

The challenge Conexus has to address is relevance to each member's unique needs. With so many digital options available, Conexus must establish trusted and meaningful relationships, and has to make financial services relevant to each member's situation. Access to services has to be through what the member finds most convenient (tablet, watch, branch, phone).

Education and professional designations

• Admin, U of R

• FCPA/CPA

• Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D)

• Environmental, Social and Governance Designation

• Certificate in Computer Science

• Artificial Intelligence MIT

• Executive Program, Queen’s University

Previous board and community involvement

• Chair – Conexus Credit Union

• Director – Startup TNT

• Director – SGI

• Senator – University of Regina

• Director – CPA

• Oversight Committee - Saskatchewan Centre for Patient Oriented Research

• President – Leader’s Council, University of Regina

Why should you vote for me?

If elected to the Board of Directors, I will commit my time and energy to advance the co-operative values and principles to improve the financial well-being of members. I have had the privilege of developing my knowledge through positions held with the Government of Saskatchewan, Farm Credit Canada and SaskWater. As an executive with 20 years of experience, I have gained expertise in a number of areas, including strategic and operational planning, enterprise risk management, policy development, communication, government and stakeholder relations, business development, marketing, information technology, leadership and human resource management.

I would welcome the opportunity to apply my knowledge and represent members' interests while advancing the strategy and objectives of the Conexus Credit Union. I have experience on both sides of the board table and believe I will bring a unique perspective and add value to board discussions and decisions.

What do you see as some of the strategic opportunities and challenges facing Conexus Credit Union in the next 2-5 years?

Digital advances are transforming the financial industry and influencing customer expectations and preferences. To compete with emerging FinTech businesses, the Conexus Credit Union will need to enhance services and relationships with customers in the digital marketplace. It will be important to balance the service needs of those looking to do business online with those who prefer face-to-face interactions. Technology can be leveraged to integrate services and processes to better meet customer expectations. To thrive in the digital age, enhancing cybersecurity to mitigate member and corporate risk is vital. An increasing number of customers are making decisions on who they want to do business with based on social media. Conexus Credit Union can build its brand and reputation by continuing to enhance its social media presence and innovative offerings. Finally, strategies to attract, retain and train employees who can thrive in a rapidly changing environment will be critical.

Education and professional designations

• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

• MBA

• Certified Executive Coach

• Certificate in Board Governance

Previous board and community involvement

• Director – Prairie Swine Centre

• Director – Regina Exhibition Association Limited

• Director – Prairie Diagnostic Services

• Director – Baseball Regina

• Volunteer – Moose Jaw Music Festival

Why should you vote for me?

I am very passionate about Conexus and the credit union system. Given that I led a federally regulated bank, I have the skills and experience to provide oversight to a large financial institution.

I would be honoured to apply my credit union knowledge and financial skill set on behalf of members to assist in the growth and sustainability of Conexus and its members.

What do you see as some of the strategic opportunities and challenges facing Conexus Credit Union in the next 2-5 years?

Opportunities:

1. Expand membership base in Saskatchewan

2. Explore consolidation in the credit union system

3. Advance digital transformation

4. Continue to give back to the Saskatchewan community

Challenges:

1. Scale/Size of Conexus (limited opportunity to grow and diversify in Saskatchewan)

2. Open banking strategy

3. Cost structure may not be sustainable

4. Limited ability to raise capital

5. Environmental, Social and Governance strategy

Education and professional designations

• Bachelor of Commerce

• CPA (CA)

• ICD.D

Previous board and community involvement

• Director – Conexus Credit Union

• Chair/Vice Chair – Regina Civic Pension and Long-Term Disability Plan

• Director – Mobius Benefit Administrators Inc.

• Director/Board Chair-Regina and District Food Bank

• Director, Concentra Bank

• Director, Concentra Trust

Why should you vote for me?

I'd appreciate your vote for a Director position. With experience an executive in banking, leadership role in Agriculture and now as a tech entrepreneur, I bring a unique perspective that will help guide Conexus towards success, while also ensuring the members are understood and well represented. My experience growing up in a small farming community, working in Moose Jaw and Regina and then starting my own business gives me some insight into what we need as members from our Credit Union.

I am a forward-thinking and customer service-oriented person that will be able to bring new ideas and improvements for the members’ satisfaction. I have experience serving on boards, and supporting them as management, giving me the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions and effectively govern the organization. I am committed to using my experience and skills to serve to the best of my abilities and be an effective director on board.

What do you see as some of the strategic opportunities and challenges facing Conexus Credit Union in the next 2-5 years?

Opportunities:

1. Digital Transformation: Credit unions can improve customer experience and gain a competitive advantage by offering more efficient and convenient digital services

2. Data Analytics: credit unions can leverage advanced analytics to gain insights into customer behaviour and preferences to tailor their products and services.

3. Collaboration: credit unions can partner with fintechs to jointly develop and launch innovative products that leverage emerging technologies.

Challenges:

1. Cybersecurity: credit unions must invest in robust security measures to protect systems and data from unauthorized access.

2. Competition: competing with new fintechs and big banks to provide our communities good products at competitive prices.

3. Changing customer expectations: we serve a large and diverse group of members who all have different financial service needs. Balancing the unique needs of all our members, staying competitive with new banking solutions, and ensuring we don’t lose the people aspect that makes us great, will be a constant balancing act.

Education and professional designations

• EMBA – Levene School of Business

Previous board and community involvement

• Director – Tourism Saskatchewan

• Director – Eden Care Communities

• Director – Credit Union National Benefits

• Director – MJ SK Hospital Foundation

Why should you vote for me?

I have many years of experience serving on different membership association boards as a Director, Chairperson, and President. I also have experience chairing and serving on different board committees such as Governance, Audit, Risk Management, CEO compensation and performance reviews, etc. I am confident this experience makes be an excellent candidate for the Conexus board.

Being a member of a board is similar to playing team sports. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, but when you work together, you can achieve greatness. It’s that mindset I adopt as a board member, along with being respectful, open-minded, member focused, and always keeping in mind the social and ethical impacts of our decisions.

I am eager to use my skills and experience to help Conexus achieve its mission and make a real difference in the lives of its members and the community. I hope you will consider voting for me.

What do you see as some of the strategic opportunities and challenges facing Conexus Credit Union in the next 2-5 years?

Opportunities –

Increased member engagement: As new social media platforms, AI and messaging apps enter the marketplace; Conexus can leverage this technology to engage and build stronger relationships with its members. This can also be used to strengthen the brand messaging to attract new members.

Innovation: AI technology is becoming more advanced; this can be leveraged to improve lending processes such as a more robust automated underwriting and fraud detection system.

Member experience: We cannot underestimate the value of face-to-face banking; however, Conexus can use technology to complement and to improve the overall member experience, streamline operations and reduce cost, which it can then reinvest it’s in staff, members and the community.

Challenges –

Cybersecurity: As we see positive advancement to technology, cybercriminals are also advancing in how they steal sensitive information. Conexus will need to continue to invest in measures to protect the organization and its members from attack.

Education and professional designations

• Bachelor of Arts, Economics and Society - University of Regina

• MBA – Executive Management - University of Regina

• Certificate of Specialization, Leadership and Management - Harvard Business School

• Brokerage Management Professional Certificate - Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission

Previous board and community involvement

• Director – Afrotribes

• 2020 Chairperson/Director – Saskatchewan REALTORS® Association

• 2020 Chair – University of Regina Student Union

• Director/2018 President – Association of Regina REALTORS®

• Chair – various sub committees – Association of Regina REALTORS®

• Audit and Risk Management Committee member - Canadian Real Estate Association

• Leaders Council - Hill and Levene Schools of Business (University of Regina)

• Mentor, Hill mentor program - Hill School of Business (University of Regina)

• Volunteer Coach - Regina Minor Football

• Volunteer Coach - Futbol Club Regina

Why should you vote for me?

I’m an experienced business leader with a multidisciplinary skill set encompassing finance, operations management, risk management, strategy, legal, and technology. I have experience working in technology startups as well as corporate environments across the banking and insurance industries. I am a passionate advocate for the Saskatchewan community – which is the primary reason I was drawn back after many years abroad.

Conexus exudes community-driven values and purpose, and for that reason I would be thrilled to be a part of it. I believe I have the experience and education to make a positive and measurable impact on the board of directors, while representing the needs of the members and guiding the strategic direction of the organization. As the Conexus board seeks individuals with board governance experience, I believe my experience through a community board, charitable board, and my law degree provides a great foundation to fulfill this competency.

What do you see as some of the strategic opportunities and challenges facing Conexus Credit Union in the next 2-5 years?

The emergence of fintech and challenger banks poses a threat to Conexus’ competitiveness. However, I believe the proper partnerships and financial services integrations with non-traditional lenders and service providers, can provide an opportunity for Conexus to leverage new consumer trends.

I believe Conexus is already taking some of the right steps for strategic opportunities, while also fulfilling the community-driven mission. For example, the formation of Cultivator has provided the community a platform for new business incubation, while also allowing Conexus to be a primary stakeholder in new technology development here in the province. I also believe the venture funds being made available through Conexus Venture Capital for ag-tech represent a fantastic strategic imperative. Continuing to identify and allocate resources to these strategic opportunities will ensure Conexus’ prosperity for years to come.

Education and professional designations

• Juris Doctor

• Bachelor of Business Administration

• Certificate in Economics

Previous board and community involvement

• Director – Creative Options Regina

• Member at Large – Royal Regina Board of Governors