With the development of the Experience Department, many staff members at Partners 1st Federal Credit Union were recently promoted, with Kelly Johns leading the charge in her new position as Chief Experience Officer.
“Creating the Chief Experience Officer role was a strategic move to place our members’ experiences at the center of everything we do. As our credit union continues to evolve, we need leadership that aligns our service, culture, and digital technology with the expectations of today’s members. We couldn’t have found a better fit than Kelly Johns. With her previous leadership experience within our organization, she brings a deep understanding of our values, our people, and the communities we serve,” says President & CEO Clinton Miller.
With over two decades of experience, Johns has worked multiple positions at Partners 1st varying from member-facing roles to focusing on employee engagement. After her start as a loan clerk and receptionist in Member Services, Johns moved to the HR department and advanced quickly.
From recruitment to employee development, Johns created and continues to foster a culture of opportunity with 50% of current staff benefitting from internal promotions and 10% of staff choosing to return to a career at Partners 1st.
Through Johns’ enthusiasm and innovation, her department evolved with the creation of the Training & Development department. As VP of HR/Training & Development, she championed the department’s goals to improve internal communication and procedures and aid in consistent messaging for members and employees, while supporting several branch locations nationwide and 22 back-office departments.
One of Johns’ greatest accomplishments follows the company’s mission “to go beyond the transaction.” Through her network connections at Indiana Credit Union League, Johns helped broker the company’s largest merger in 2017, bringing 26 additional employees and adding multiple locations to the Partners 1st branch network.
“I’m excited to lead the newly created Experience Department that brings focus to our member and employee experience. By ensuring positive interactions across all touchpoints, we can foster member loyalty and align various departments to deliver a consistent, member-centric approach to the credit union’s operations and meet our financial objectives,” says Chief Experience Officer Kelly Johns.
Outside the credit union, Johns served on the Northeast Indiana Human Resources Association board, was a Fort Wayne 40 under 40 nominee in 2015, and has volunteered her time for multiple fundraising initiatives, including earning a Golden Achievement Award through Junior Achievement.