Leading From The C-Suite: Anneliese Elrod Of Westerra Credit Union On Five Things You Need To Be A…

Authority Magazine: Leading From The C-Suite: Anneliese Elrod Of Westerra Credit Union On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Suite Executive -- Listen Share As a leader at the VP/SVP level, you’re still playing an instrument. Once you’re in the C-Suite, you become a conductor. You go from doer to encourager, working to inspire and create common themes, rather than doing the work yourself. As a leader at the VP/SVP level, you’re still playing an instrument. Once you’re in the C-Suite, you become a conductor.

You go from doer to encourager, working to inspire and create common themes, rather than doing the work yourself. As a part of our series called “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Suite Executive,” we had the pleasure of interviewing Anneliese Elrod. Anneliese Elrod is chief operating officer at Westerra Credit Union in Denver, Colorado, where she ensures the credit union’s strategic goals and operations align with its mission to “positively impact lives through personal attention and financial education.” With over 20 years of industry experience, Elrod oversees the day-to-day operations of 100+ employees, actively leading from

the ground up — prioritizing collaboration over hierarchy. Elrod graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and became a Certified Credit Union Executive (CCUE) and Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) through the Credit Union Management School. Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better.

Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path? I spent the first decade of my career in advertising and marketing, working in an agency role or, as I like to say, on the other side of the desk. The advertising agency had a significant partnership with a community bank, which is how I was first introduced to the banking and finance industry. After a bite-sized stint as VP of marketing at a community bank, I was hooked on financial institutions. Thinking I knew the differences between community banks and credit unions, I responded to a classified ad for a marketing position at a credit union.

I quickly learned that I actually did not know much about credit unions, but as I familiarized myself with the credit union model, I realized that whatever I would do from that point on in my career would be within the credit union industry. It’s a true intersection of cause and commerce. Being committed to members, rather than distant shareholders, ensures the work is about more than making money; it’s about changing people’s lives. Over the last 20 years, I’ve worked at three different credit unions. I was the COO at Nusenda Credit Union, the COO of U.S.

Eagle Federal Credit Union, and as of December 2024, I am the COO of Westerra Credit Union (Westerra). Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? A pivotal moment in my career came in my early 30s when I was promoted from VP of marketing to COO. On paper, it was a step up in responsibility, but in reality, it was a light-bulb moment that led to a shift in my perspective. Up to this point, I had been leading smaller teams, where I was closer to the day-to-day work. As a COO, I was responsible for managing teams of 100+ people.

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The article discusses key leadership principles that can significantly influence brand strategy and organizational culture, making it relevant and impactful for brand professionals, though the concepts of servant leadership and collaboration are not entirely new.