Remembering the Legacy of Mark Schroeder: A Visionary Leader

It is with profound sadness that Corporate Central announces the passing of Mark Schroeder, former President/CEO.

Schroeder retired in 2004 after a 21-year career in leadership at Corporate Central, 14 of those years as President/CEO. He guided the credit union through significant market expansion during a very competitive corporate credit union landscape in the 90s and early 2000s. Schroeder also served as a past Chair of the Association of Corporate Credit Unions (ACCU) and was very involved in various credit union movement initiatives and organizations.

Schroeder’s legacy was his leadership and the lives he touched and impacted positively. His leadership style was characterized by a unique blend of innovation, integrity, and compassion. He had an extraordinary ability to motivate and inspire those around him, fostering a culture of excellence. He was a practitioner of “servant leadership” before the term servant leadership became mainstream. His leadership was honed during his successful career and influenced during his service to his country in the United States Marine Corps as a Captain during the Vietnam era.

“Those who knew Mark, knew Mark,” commented Chris Felton, current President/CEO of Corporate Central. “What I mean by that is Mark was a straight arrow. He was an honest gentleman that always led by example. Mark was the President/CEO when I was first hired in 1990 to be the ‘road warrior’ for the corporate. Mark took me under his wing and showed me how to lead with integrity and humility. Mark and I remained very close through all these years. Mark was a mentor. Mark was my friend. Mark was my brother in Christ. I will miss talking with my dear friend. The credit union community will mourn the loss of a past leader, but the world lost one of the finest men I have ever known,” concluded Felton.