First West Credit Union

This display of red shirts is a symbol of the pledge our team members make to creating an accessible and inclusive society for everyone. Today is Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion, when people across Canada come together by wearing red as a visible display of solidarity and support for people with disabilities and their families. If you’re wondering how to be a champion of accessibility, expand your knowledge with one of the recommended podcasts from Easter Seals of Canada: https://ow.ly/8van50S1k8A #RedShirtDay

“Throughout my life, I’ve noticed that there are so many things we won’t know about someone else’s lived experience until we’re told. I love being at a place where we can be our authentic selves at work and have these conversations. It brings me such joy and pride to be part of the Poss-Ability Network and furthering the supportive culture for people with disabilities at First West.” With these words from team member Alea Whitesell, we are celebrating the start of National AccessAbility Week. Read about her experience as part of the Poss-Ability Employee Network Group here at First West, which is committed to effecting positive change for those living with a disability. Find out more: https://ow.ly/niLz50RWTYO

Which is stronger, Michelle Banifatemi’s deep love for technology or her natural-born leadership talents? As a heavyweight in both areas, we’re thrilled to have her join our team as VP of IT Business Operations! Those who know Michelle admire her fluency in both technology and business. Expertly uniting IT initiatives with strategic goals, she creates value and opportunity for credit union members to flourish. At First West, we’re especially excited to welcome Michelle’s leadership in areas of technology governance and strategy, agile leadership in process compliance and change management, and integrated IT regulatory and risk management. Michelle takes on challenges with a positive spirit and the aim to create change for the better. After earning her software engineering degree from Azad University in Central Tehran, she dove into growing her career through hands-on experience in many technical and business roles, including leading agile transformation teams. She’s been a driving force within many large projects during her 17 years in the credit union industry—including implementing chip-enabled payments processing for debit cards and ATMs, overhauling a call centre’s technology, and creating advanced solutions for mortgage renewals. Earlier in her career, Michelle also spearheaded BC's province-wide social housing registry. Her success is bolstered by the joy and value she finds in exploring different topics expanding her knowledge. This has led her to earn additional credentials as a Certified Scrum Master (Scrum Alliance), a Certificate in Executive Leadership (Cornell University) and Certificate in Digital Leadership (UBC). Two of Michelle’s most powerful leadership tools are fostering stability and leading with clarity. She has a deep sense of empathy for others’ experiences and the impact that businesses can have to help people flourish. This dedication to people living well is also evident in her passion for causes that further the wellbeing of seniors. At heart, Michelle is an explorer seeking information and experiences. She loves to dive into a diverse range of reading, music and movies from around the world—and lace up her shoes to travel the mountains, oceanfront and neighbourhoods of the North Shore where she and her family call home.

What does it mean to flourish? Click play and find out how our team members answer this question. In the words of Liz Bailey-Connor, Chief People and Culture Officer: “Our credit union’s purpose is to create a future where everyone can flourish, and our team members play a vital role in living out that purpose. When their physical and mental wellness is at the forefront, it has a positive impact on our members and communities.” Learn more about being part of a purpose-driven organization 👉 https://lnkd.in/gj54N8y7

Go Canucks Go! 🏒 We don't just share a passion for helping members and communities flourish, we also cheer really loudly for the home team, our Vancouver Canucks! Recently, our team members held a Canucks Game Day Lunch where they proudly showed off their vibrant Canucks jerseys as our heroes hit the ice. 🎉 Do you have a lot of team spirit too? Score a new opportunity as part of a culture that believes in collective strength. We strive to build trusting relationships within our teams that includes supporting and celebrating everyone's interests and passions. Our camaraderie inspires innovation and exceptional performance. Check out what it's like to work at First West 👉https://lnkd.in/gdv-uip3

Join us in saying, "welcome students!" 👋 We're filled with excitement this week as we welcome our new students to explore career opportunities and learn new skills! Every year, we welcome many post-secondary students into different teams  – from marketing to finance, IT and helping members in our branches. During the summer, they create new possibilities for their futures and experience culture at an award-winning organization. Working in a professional environment means students can develop career-building skills while making valuable contributions through their unique and incredible talents. We love to help students explore opportunities, so reach out to chat with us about being part of an organization that's creating a future where everyone can flourish. 👉 https://lnkd.in/ggfVArV7

Chief People & Culture Officer, Liz Bailey-Connor, accepting the award for First West Credit Union as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ at the Waterstone Human Capital awards night last week in Toronto. ⭐ The award showcases First West's dedication in nurturing a workplace where everyone can flourish and elevate their potential, while being their authentic selves. If you want to elevate your career and be part of an organization that is purpose-driven, visit https://lnkd.in/gC9GPPJD

This week, we're enthusiastically applauding our team members who contribute to making First West worthy of winning a 2023 Waterstone Human Capital award for “Canada’s Most Admired™ Corporate Culture. In the words of chief people and culture officer, Liz Bailey-Connor (pictured, fourth from left): "This award reflects each and every one of our team members. They’re the ones that seize the organization's vision and then take the lead with ideas and plans for taking our culture to the next level, making it something extraordinary." If you'd like to learn more about how we rally around a purpose of creating a future where everyone can flourish, visit https://lnkd.in/g9UG9u_X #canadasmostadmiredculture #flourishtogether #topemployer Waterstone Human Capital Liz Bailey-Connor

The 2023 Annual Report of First West Credit Union is out now with the theme 'Fundamental Fortitude'. Handling today’s challenges while building for tomorrow’s: amid continued economic turbulence, First West's core financials performed well and we continued to create and add value for our members, communities, and team members. Some highlights: 💰 Advancing member financial wellbeing: we introduced new features, products, tools and experiences to improve members’ ability to bank when and where they want, and to better manage their finances and financial goals. 🥫 Making meaningful impact: we invested more than $3.6 million in our communities. First West team members also contributed 6,780 hours of community leadership to more than 242 non-profit and charitable organizations throughout B.C. 💼 Helping team members flourish in a complex world: First West was honoured to be recognized as one of BC's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada and one of Canada’s Most Admired™ Corporate Cultures by Waterstone Human Capital. "Our most heartfelt thanks to our members, for their continued loyalty to First West as their trusted financial advisors. Your financial success and flourishing matters to us—we’re here to help make it happen." - Shawn Neumann, Board Chair and Launi Skinner, CEO. Read the full report 👉 https://lnkd.in/gDd3X_Vj

Tamara Hendsbee, President of Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union, walks us through her career journey, working for a people-centric credit union, and how she hopes to pass along some of her wisdom and learnings to the next generation of leaders. “Strategically, every day, I wake up and believe the day will be great. I choose optimism and visualize what will go well. I'm an advocate for building authentic relationships, surrounding myself with good people who I believe in and who believe in me” Tamara is the cover star of Drishti Magazine's March/April edition. Read her story in this inspiring interview 👉 https://lnkd.in/gz8EPQA8