Guest: Amey Sgrignoli

What does it take to lead a community credit union for over a decade while honoring a 42-year legacy? In this episode of Credit Union Conversations, Mark Ritter talks with Amey Sgrignoli, CEO of Belco Community Credit Union, about navigating executive succession, evolving board governance, and building a standout brand in a competitive market. Amey shares how her roots in business lending shaped her leadership style and why strong member relationships, smart fintech partnerships, and a commitment to financial education remain at the heart of Belco’s growth strategy.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • 00:00 Introduction: Meet Amey Sgrignoli of Belco Community CU
  • 05:47 Lessons learned from an executive succession transition following a 42-year CEO legacy at Belco Community CU
  • 08:55 Evolving board governance, volunteer recruitment pipelines, and building a high-performing credit union board
  • 13:53 Being the face of the credit union community-wide
  • 18:53 Competing with larger institutions by leading with member relationships, branch technology, and financial education
  • 24:12 Evaluating fintech partnerships and using the CUSO model to access expertise beyond your asset size

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Credit union leadership transitions work best when they are deliberate and methodical. Amey co-led Belco Community CU for nearly a year before her predecessor retired, creating stability while opening space for a new vision to emerge.
  • Strong board governance does not happen by accident. Belco Community CU built a volunteer pipeline over the years, recruiting members with the right qualifications and passion to ensure the board kept pace with industry change.
  • When vetting fintech partnerships, due diligence is everything. Chasing trends without careful evaluation can expose your credit union to brand reputation, security, and operational risks that outweigh any short-term gain.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Mark Ritter – LinkedIn
Amey Sgrignoli – LinkedIn
Belco Community Credit Union

Mark Ritter is the CEO of MBFS and an expert in credit unions and business lending. His primary role at MBFS is overseeing the strategy of helping credit unions assist members with business needs and consulting with credit unions on planning the delivery of services to their membership.