OKLAHOMA CITY –Tinker Federal Credit Union (TFCU) employee, Krystal Sumrell, graduated from CUNA Management School (CMS) recently. Sumrell is the assistant manager of professional development for TFCU. To date, 27 TFCU employees have completed the three-year program.
CMS is the longest-running high-level education program for management or professional-level employees who are interested in leadership positions in the credit union industry. The program is held for two weeks each July and students attend for three summers in order to graduate. CMS delves into topics such as the philosophy and corporate culture of the credit union movement, executive relationships, business ethics, entrepreneurial skills and many more topics that help participants grow as leaders in the industry.
Graduation requirements for students include assigned reading, testing, networking with other credit union professionals, classroom study, an in-depth written analysis, a five-year projection for their credit union and an oral presentation of a project or strategic plan.
TFCU sends selected participants to one of two schools – the Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS) in Fort Worth, Texas, or CMS in Madison, Wis. Sumrell graduated from CMS in Madison on July 26, 2017.
“We are very proud of what our graduates have accomplished,” TFCU President and CEO Michael Kloiber said. “TFCU actively encourages our employees to become leaders in the workplace and beyond. CMS is a fantastic opportunity for them to grow professionally and personally, as well as expand their knowledge of management functions essential to a credit union’s success.”
Kloiber is very active within CMS, teaching a class every year. This year, he was named an honorary alumnus as well as given the Alumnus of the Year Leadership Award by the SCMS.