Universal 1 Credit Union just created a brand-new C-suite position—Chief Growth Officer—and named Emily Broughton to fill it. Translation? They’re getting serious about expansion, member relationships, and staying relevant in an increasingly crowded financial services landscape.
This isn’t just a reshuffling of the org chart. The CGO role is all about connecting the dots between marketing, brand building, community engagement, and actually bringing in new business. Broughton will report straight to President/CEO Jessica Jones and essentially own the growth strategy from top to bottom.
“This role represents an important step forward in how we position Universal 1 for the future,” Jones explained. “As our market becomes more competitive and member expectations continue to evolve, we are elevating growth to a clear executive priority. Emily brings the strategic vision, energy, and leadership needed to expand our reach, strengthen our brand, and ensure we remain deeply connected to the communities we serve.”
So what makes Broughton the right person for the job? She’s got a proven track record in marketing and brand strategy, with a reputation for building teams that actually perform. She’s also known for backing up decisions with data—no vanity metrics or gut feelings here—while keeping things authentic when it comes to community connections.
“I’m honored to step into this role at such a pivotal time for Universal 1,” Broughton said. “There is a tremendous opportunity to connect with our members and communities in new and meaningful ways. I’m excited to help drive growth that is not only measurable, but also reinforces our purpose and strengthens the value we deliver every day.”
The bigger picture? Universal 1 is trying to break down silos. Instead of marketing doing its thing over here and community engagement doing something totally different over there, Broughton will pull it all together into one coherent strategy. That means consistent messaging, smarter outreach, and stronger relationships across every member and business segment they serve.
In other words, Universal 1 is playing the long game—and they just put someone in charge whose entire job is to make sure they win it.