Celebrating a 45-Year Career of Exceptional Leadership in Credit Unions

Winona Nava, President and CEO of Guadalupe Credit Union in New Mexico, has been honored with the 2023 James D. Likens Western CUNA Management (WCMS) Alumni Recognition Award!

Each year, this prestigious honor is awarded to a WCMS alumnus who has made significant professional growth and strides in his or her credit union career — as well as leading through significant service to the credit union community — after graduation from Western CUNA Management School.

Winona attributes much of her successful 45-year career in credit unions to winning a full scholarship to WCMS in 1983. Throughout her career, she continually took on duties beyond those in her job description and learned as much as possible. In 1983, upon returning from WCMS, she received a promotion to Branch Manager of State Employees Credit Union in Santa Fe, NM and established the first branch, which was 60 miles away in Albuquerque.

Following graduation from WCMS in 1985, this single mom returned to school to pursue her bachelor’s degree. Promoted in 1985 to Operations Manager of the then $12.5 million-asset credit union, she managed the accounting, plastic card, and operations of State Employees.

In 1986, she was promoted to Executive Vice-President and served in that capacity until 1991. She served as the main touchpoint for examiners. She also served on her state credit union league’s Chapter Board, quickly becoming the President. Additionally, she achieved the designation of Certified Credit Union Executive from the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in 1989.

Following the exit of a new CEO who had replaced the retired CEO of Guadalupe Credit Union in 1989 (resulting in conservatorship), state and federal regulators encouraged her to apply for the open CEO position. She did so — and started her new position in May of 1991 when the credit union was $10 million in assets. By February 1992, the regulatory conservatorship ended, and member control was regained.

Over the next nine years, the credit union prospered and grew from $10 to $30 million in assets under her leadership. She also led a field-of-membership expansion to underserved individuals in the credit union’s footprint, which fueled growth.

Under her leadership, the credit union gained a national reputation for finding effective ways to serve immigrant families, helping it to become a Community Development Credit Union. She helped the credit union grow its assets from $30 million to $133 million by 2014, expanding its field of membership from one to seven counties and adding several new branches. Winona decided to create the position of a full-time FiCEP (Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor) and develop financial literacy classes. Today, Guadalupe Credit Union is more than $265 million in assets, serving more than 25,000 members, and is well-capitalized, growing and strong.

Thanks to Winona’s leadership and her heart for serving the underserved, Guadalupe Credit Union helps many individuals build wealth and improve their financial lives. The credit union has won first place nationally in the Dora Maxwell, Louis Herring, and Desjardin Youth categories of the CUNA Awards. It was also a first-place recipient in the National CRMNEXT “Right on the Money” Award in 2021.

Under Winona’s tenure, Guadalupe Credit Union has won many awards — from “Top Workplace” to “Best Places to Work,” including first place and a values award. The credit union is a platinum-level family friendly workplace in New Mexico and actively participated in the National Credit Union Foundation’s Real Solutions program. Most recently, she was honored as the 2022 recipient of the National Credit Union Foundation’s Herb Wegner Award.

Winona has served the credit union industry in many ways during the last 45 years, including being involved in the following:

Santa Fe Chapter of Credit Unions during the 1980s.Credit Union Association of New Mexico from 1995 – 2004.The World Council of Credit Unions from 2000 – 2009.CUNA from 2004 – current.Credit Union Executives Society’s (CUES) Rocky Mountain Council Board of Directors from 2006 – 2018.National Credit Union Foundation Board from 2011 – 2018.Credit Union Women’s Leadership Alliance from 2019 – current.National Association of Latino Credit Unions and Professional Board (NLCUP) from 2016 – present.