Credit unions don’t run on slogans, they run on the people who show up, year after year, to do the unglamorous work well.
That’s the case for the five honorees the Indiana Credit Union League recognized on October 2 at its Credit Union Awards Celebration, held during the League’s annual convention.
Leadership Achievement Award: Barry D. Weiss, Members Source CU (Merrillville)
Weiss has volunteered with Members Source since 1991, and he has held the posts of Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Treasurer along the way. He’s a CPA who spent 43 years in accounting and finance at NiSource/NIPSCO, and he put that experience to work for his credit union. He built tools that sharpen accountability, make numbers more transparent, and help the board make better decisions. He has also served on merger teams and kept up his education on credit union issues.
The award honors volunteers and officials who give selflessly to advance the credit union ideal and serve the movement in Indiana.
Emerging Leadership Awards
Three rising leaders took home this one.
Brent Parks, Centra CU (Columbus). Parks is Senior Vice President of Technology and Chief Information Security Officer. Over seven years at Centra, he has held a range of roles, and he now oversees a sophisticated technology infrastructure and a growing service delivery team. He works with industry leaders, government security agencies, and other stakeholders to raise security awareness. He holds PMP, CISSP, and CISSO certifications, and under him the Centra IT team has earned national recognition for network security excellence.
Madelyn Hogan, Members Source CU (Merrillville). Hogan joined in 2021 and has taken on more responsibility with each step. As Branch Operations Manager, she runs branches and also delivers the CEO report at board meetings, relaying financial and operational updates to leadership. She has completed the League’s ignite program and the National Credit Union Foundation’s Development Educator (DE) program. She is now in her second year at America’s Credit Unions’ Credit Union Management School.
Loren Garber, Origins CU. Garber is the Chief Financial Officer, and he has filled many roles at Energy Plus CU over 11 years. His leadership stood out during this year’s merger that created Origins CU. He has played a key part in vendor relations, budgeting, rate decisions, board presentations, and detailed financial projections. Outside work, he serves as treasurer of the 3-E Young Professionals group in Central Indiana and regularly attends credit union events in Indiana and across the country.
Professional Achievement Award: David Shadburne, MidWest America FCU (Fort Wayne)
Shadburne, the President/CEO, joined in 2023 with nearly 30 years of banking experience, a decade of it in credit unions. In a few short years, he has refocused the organization on purpose, people, and community.
Some of the results:
- Named a “Best Place To Work” in Indiana for three years running
- Advances in technology, expanded digital services, and updated facilities
- Innovative lending programs for underserved communities, first-time buyers, and green initiatives
- More than 3,500 volunteer hours contributed to nonprofits by his team
- Financial education efforts that have reached more than 1,750 people
Shadburne also gives personally, with board service at the YWCA, Youth Service Bureau, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Fort Wayne UNITED, Erin’s House for Grieving Kids, and the Boys & Girls Club.
If you work in a credit union, take a cue from this group: pick one skill you already have, whether it’s finance, security, or operations, and find a way to apply it beyond your job description. Then keep investing in your own training, as Hogan and Weiss have. That’s how these honorees got noticed.