As President and CEO of GTE Financial, Brian’s approach to leadership is all about serving others and ensuring that people always come first while focusing on maximizing return on value to the GTE membership and local community – the people we exist to serve. Through elevating the employee experience, members gain a caring financial advocate that ensures they earn more, save more and live better. Additionally, GTE is focused on providing innovation through a service lens, ensuring the credit union stays relevant within an ever-changing industry permeated by new technology and sophisticated services. Prior to joining GTE, Brian was in the financial services industry for over 25 years, holding senior executive positions at some of the nation’s most preeminent banks and credit unions. Brian brings a diverse background in commercial and consumer banking, collections, operations, retail strategy, process improvement, investment and risk portfolio management, organizational branding and troubled business restructuring. Brian holds a B.S. in Marketing from Wright State University, as well as an M.A. in Business and Administration from Saint Leo University. He has also graduated from the RMA School of Commercial Underwriting and Portfolio Management and received his accreditation with Six Sigma as a master black belt. To further support advocacy and the credit union movement, Brian served as a Class C, Region 3 Director of the CUNA board, as an Executive Committee Member, Treasurer, Chair of the CUNA District Task Force and Chair on the CUNA Finance Committee and Governance Committee. Brian helped lead the merger of the two largest Trade Associations in the United States, now America’s Credit Unions. Brian also speaks for NCUA within their Diversity and Inclusion functions as well as leads the National Credit Union CEO Council. He is a Keynote speaker as well as speaks on behalf of the industry. Within the Tampa Bay region, Brian volunteers with the following community-driven organizations: Hillsborough Economic Development Council as an Executive Committee Member; serving on the Foundation Committee and past board and Executive Committee member of the Boys and Girls Club of Tampa Bay, as well as served on the Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay’s board of directors.
Brian has been featured in Forbes and Newsweek as a credit union activist pertaining to leadership, credit union sustainability, employee well being as well as his perseverance on appropriately serving his members.
