Chicago - Nominated by the Illinois Credit Union League (ICUL), Mike Valentine, BCU President & CEO, 
was recently inducted into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders in Washington, D.C., joining a prestigious group of previous inductees from across the country. This distinguished honor provides lasting recognition to credit union leaders past and present whose commitments have made a significant impact on the credit union movement at the local, state, or national level.
Members of the Hall of Leaders have shown commitment that inspires others, and Valentine is no exception. Throughout his four decades with BCU, Mike leads compassionately in relentless pursuit of excellence, driving double-digit annual growth and staying true to BCU's north star of being the employee financial well-being benefit partner for America's best workplaces, including Target, UnitedHealth Group, HCA Healthcare, Baxter, GEICO, and more.
"I am deeply honored to be recognized by the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders. It's an immense privilege to be included among such a distinguished group of honorees. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Tom Kane, President and CEO of the ICUL, for nominating me,” said Valentine. "The Credit Union movement is full of extraordinary leaders who have taught me so much and continue to inspire me every day.”
Under Valentine's leadership, BCU has not only solidified its position as the preferred Credit Union for top workplaces but has also attained the distinction of being recognized as a top workplace itself. Mike’s tenure, spanning back to 1984 when he first joined the Credit Union, and subsequent appointment as CEO in 1994, has been marked by many achievements. During this period, BCU grew from $2M to $8.3B in assets both on and off the balance sheet, increased membership from 64,000 to over 350,000, earned the Gallup Exceptional Workplace recognition in 2023 and, in the last five years, has been honored with CUNA Excellence Awards for Culture of Belonging and Operations and Member Experience, a Forbes Best-in-State Credit Union (IL & MN) recognition; two Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT awards; a Tribune Top Workplace achievement; and a Great Place to Work® Certification™.
As Valentine marks his 40th anniversary at BCU, his induction into the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders is a fitting tribute to his career in the Credit Union movement. Beyond BCU, Mike's impact on the broader Credit Union industry is ever-present. In addition to this most recent honor, his recognition by Credit Union Times as a 2023 LUMINARIES Award winner in the Executive Leadership – Individual category, 2017 induction into the CUES Hall of Fame, two-time CUES Executive of the Year, role as Chairman of the Board for TruStage, active involvement in the VISA Senior Client Advisory Council, and recognition as a Spirit of Hope Recipient from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation all underscore the depth of his influence on everyone’s path he crosses.
Valentine's four decades of unwavering dedication and transformative contributions to the Credit Union industry make him a worthy addition to the Credit Union House Hall of Leaders.
About BCU: BCU is a not-for-profit, member-owned Credit Union that is fiercely dedicated to Empowering People to Discover Financial Freedom. At just under $6B in assets, BCU is driven by its commitment to providing a fast, easy, secure banking experience and extraordinary service for close to 350,000 members. The BCU field of membership includes employees and families of large employers that are focused on the financial well-being of their workforce; those who live or work in northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and the island of Puerto Rico; and subscribers of BCU’s wholly-owned Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO), Life. Money. You.® within communities and Fortune 100 workplaces throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. All BCU members enjoy lifetime access to financial services and well-being programming that inspire confidence through the brand promise “Here Today For Your Tomorrow.”
To learn more about how we can help you realize your financial dreams, visit BCU.org.
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