2022 Awards of Excellence - Steve Johnson

 

Nomination Letter:
I am pleased to nominate Steve Johnson for the CCUA Awards of Excellence, Professional of the Year.  Metro Credit Union is the largest state-charted credit union in Massachusetts, approaching $3 billion in assets and serving over 200,000 members.  Steve is the AVP Branch Manager for one of Metro’s larger branches located in the gateway city of Lynn.   Steve’s office serves a diverse membership including many low- to moderate- income families.

Steve is very deserving of this recognition. 

As a manager Steve strongly believes in ‘people helping people’, both from a member experience perspective and as it relates to Metro’s employees.  His first thought is always with the member and how best to exceed their expectations.  Steve leads by example and takes every opportunity to educate and coach his team to not only assist the member with the request at hand, but also act as a solution provider, listening and understanding additional needs.   One recent example involves one of his team members who recognized a situation that raised a concern in her mind.  The employee referred the member to Metro Investment Advisors.  This referral ended up saving the member $20,000 in potential IRS penalties.   Steve’s coaching and shared knowledge provided the guidance needed to make the effective referral.

Steve’s leadership during the COVID pandemic is a testimony to his ability to navigate difficult situations, as he stayed focused on managing member needs and expectations while keeping employees safe and motivated.  Metro offices stayed open throughout all of 2020 and 2021 (closing lobbies during the initial few weeks while drive-ups stayed open) and Steve worked through the challenges presented by the pandemic to minimize impact on member service, calm fears (of members and employees) and keep a positive environment for all.

He is a leader at Metro, playing an active role in retail management and bringing insight and years of knowledge to every interaction he has.   Steve is a strong internal mentor, and his peers frequently reach out for guidance and encouragement.   With extensive knowledge of Metro’s products and services, a solid foundation in retail banking and experience within the lending platform,  Steve and his branch are the ‘go-to team’ for special projects and new initiatives.  He never says ‘no’ and is always enhancing our testing and piloting process by providing the member perspective.   When a new SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) is introduced, Steve is first to assimilate the SOP from both the employee and member perspective.  He asks great clarifying questions and provides solid feedback. 

As busy as he is, Steve is deeply committed to and passionate about his local community.  His many community involvements include volunteering at My Brothers Table in Lynn and Board President of Lynn Youth Soccer League.  Steve brings his community focus to Metro, working with his branch team to coordinate an annual branch toy drive at Christmas.  Earlier this year he took the initiative to develop an internal sales competition at his branch that raised funds donated to Dana Farber’s Breast Cancer drive.

Always demonstrating a respectful demeaner, Steve is results-driven and solutions-oriented, relentless in his passion for member service.  He leads by example.  He doesn’t accept the word “can’t” and will proactively find a solution to resolve a complaint, solve a problem, fix broken equipment or help cover branch schedules.   Steve is a great communicator along with being a tremendous coach and mentor to his team and peers.  He ensures everyone is up-to-date and current in their knowledge and provides feedback on how to make interactions more engaging.   With Steve, it’s always about doing what’s best for the member while keeping his team motivated.    

It is for the reasons shared above that I am pleased to nominate Steve Johnson for the CCUA Awards of Excellence, Professional of the Year.