November 15, 2020Q & A with Erika, SVP/Chief Experience Officer

At PEFCU, we are proud of what each of our employees brings to our Credit Union. We are especially proud to showcase the employees who have contributed to our organization for years. When our employees love PEFCU enough to stay with us, it shows that we have a lot to offer.  

One of those employees is Erika Hernden, our SVP/Chief Experience Officer, who has been with PEFCU for 20 years. We did a Q &A with Erika to find out why PEFCU won her heart. Check out the interview below: 

 

Q:  Why did you choose to join the PEFCU team? 

A: My grandmother worked at PEFCU. I was in high school when she told me about a part-time position here. I was taking a business class and needed a job with flexible hours. The rest is history.  

 

Q: When did you know that you wanted to stay with PEFCU? 

A: I knew I wanted to stay with PEFCU when we went through a core conversion in 2003. I was still part-time and in college for Dental Hygiene. This conversion was horrific! I was intrigued and determined to learn the system so that I could help my department. Once I became familiar with the system, I began finding ways to make our processes more efficient. That’s when I found my niche for process improvement.  

 

Q: What was your most memorable moment during your PEFCU career? 

A: It was just a few years ago. I got to work with a consultant for our member database for a couple of years. While working with this consultant, I got to review processes for all the business units that used the core. I learned so much, and the knowledge I gained has guided my decisions since then. This enabled my team to help many departments become more efficient. There is no better feeling! 😊  

 

Q: Here’s our “fun question”. What’s your favorite animal? Why? 

A:  Dogs. Primarily little dogs, but I love them all. I like to baby them, so being small only adds to it. 😉 If I could, I would save all the dogs, big or small. 

 

Q: What is your favorite thing about working at PEFCU right now? 

A: My favorite thing about PEFCU right now is how we are embracing change. Changing is essential to our success but keeping our company culture is equally important. PEFCU has a laid-back, family-oriented culture. I hope we never lose that!  

 

Tell us about your career path. Where do you see yourself in 20 years?