Women in Business
How Teri Bee Prioritizes Authenticity at Work
With more than 17 years of mortgage expertise under her belt, Teri Bee is focused on working for Volt Credit Union’s members—not just the bottom line.
By Lillian Stone
Aug 11 2020 at 11:11 a.m.
Photo courtesy ShutterstockVolt Credit Union prioritizes authenticity in its mission.
Biz 417: Volt Credit Union’s mission is all about authenticity. How do you show up authentically at work?
Teri Bee: It comes down to our culture. If you have an issue with a coworker, it’s your responsibility to go directly to that person and talk to them. You take care of yourself, but you also do what’s best for the team in a way that prioritizes resourcefulness, togetherness and being service-oriented. That’s why I really look forward to coming to work, even if I know that I have a long day ahead of me.
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Biz: How are credit unions different from traditional financial institutions?
T.B.: It’s all about the attitude behind the credit union. I mean, how many people in a banking business can go to work in jeans and a t-shirt like we can? [Laughs.] People should know that credit unions aren’t driven by numbers as much as we are driven by our members. It’s not about the bottom line for us—it’s about helping people.
Biz: How do you empower Volt’s members, especially those with less financial know-how?
T.B.: I have a lot of flexibility since I work mainly in the loan department. It’s especially important to me to be able to work with women; for example, it might seem old-school but you’ll see a member going through a divorce, and the woman will have zero credit since the husband was the breadwinner. We have the flexibility to offer loans that can get women started building their credit, like our share-secured loans. We don’t even require a credit report for those; we’re more focused on giving people a start in the financial realm. That’s what I really like about our business model.
