I was discussing the blog with a colleague the other day and mentioned that this week’s post would be on Friday, August 13. No big deal—I typically post on Thursdays and Fridays, so why should this week be any different? Nevertheless, I received some interesting feedback…
“That’s bad luck, you know…”
“Better keep a lucky penny or four-leaf clover with you.”
“Don’t go into the woods, especially if you’re near a summer camp.”
I looked at them as if they had a third eye stalk protruding out of their craniums.
Curious as to what the hubbub was all about, I did a little research and discovered the myths and lore associated with Friday the 13th. I’m typically not a superstitious alien, but today’s post is important (as they all are, of course), so I figured I better not take any chances.
I’m not walking under any spaceship ramps; I’m knocking on every slab of Parsvel I can find; I’m keeping my tentacles crossed; and you better believe I’m avoiding stepping on any cracks in the Fierkens (more so because I’d rather fly than walk anyway).
This all got me thinking about a mentor I had back at home on planet Amicitia. He reminded me on many occasions that there is no such thing as good luck. Rather, he stressed that your actions determine your destiny. An excellent example of this is found in the way credit unions do business.
Is it luck that a credit union member found a “family” when looking for a new financial institution? Is it luck that a member seeking a mortgage gained a credit union “partner” throughout the loan process? There’s no “luck” when talking about the credit union way of doing business. It’s something that the experts at myCUmortgage subscribe to, and through my years here on your planet, I’ve learned to embrace myself.
As you may be aware, the 2021 myCUmortgage Partner Conference is coming up fast (Oct. 19-21, to be exact—you can learn more and register by CLICKING HERE). A great event that takes place during the conference is the Annual Awards Luncheon where myCUmortgage recognizes the best of the best in credit union mortgage lending. A couple years back, the facilitators of the program wanted to add a new award, one that looked beyond the numbers and metrics and recognized an individual who lives the credit union way in all aspects of their life.
That was the birth of the Tim Mislansky Belief Award, the most prestigious recognition given to an individual credit union mortgage team member by myCUmortgage. Named after the former president of myCUmortgage, the award symbolizes Tim’s greatest strength—Belief. The recipient is someone who follows Tim’s lead by demonstrating that they live their core values at work, at home and in their community.
Last year, the winner was Tim Muffley, Mortgage Lending Manager at DESCO Federal Credit Union and long-time partner of myCUmortgage. When asked about his role in the success and growth of DESCO’s mortgage team, Tim said, “We had a great staff of lenders when I joined the team, but the secondary market and government lending were fairly new to us at that time. I tried to lead by example early on to show just what we could accomplish, trying to ease their trepidations of secondary market lending, being a sounding board and answering questions. Then we all hit the streets to re-educate our market, basically getting anyone we could to spread the message that YES! Credit Unions can make mortgages, Better… Faster… Saving the Borrower more money!”
Do you know a mortgage professional at a credit union who fits the bill of a Belief Award winner? Let myCUmortgage know and we’ll work with you to get the nomination submitted (you can download the form HERE). You can also contact your Partner Success Manager for more information or comment here and I’ll be thrilled to assist. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 30. (And, despite the precedent with Tim Mislansky in 2019 and Tim Muffley in 2020, this year’s winner does not need to be named Tim!)
With today being Friday the 13th, making a nomination for this year’s Belief Award will help show proof-positive that good things come to those who earn it. There’s no “luck” involved whatsoever—only the passion to be the best mortgage lender you can be for your credit union and for your members.