Credit Union Person of the Year announced

Janet Gibb, CEO of Credit Union Waikato was named Credit Union Person of the Year at the New Zealand Association of Credit Unions’ conference and AGM in Rotorua on 15 September.


The award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the Credit Union industry in its growth and development.


“Since her involvement in Credit Unions, Janet has been unwavering in her commitment to the growth of Credit Unions. She has served on the Marketing Group for more than five years where her role has been that of a driver, a persuader, a mediator and a leader,” says Doug McLaren, Chief Executive of the Association.


Janet was given the award for the enormous amount of time and energy she has given to the New Zealand Credit Union Business Strategy Project which is aimed at advancing the Association’s strategic goals of growth, best practice and credibility by achieving greater consistency across Member Credit Unions in terms of customer experience, products, services and business practices.


The project required Janet to consider the varied requirements of 14 independently-owned Credit Unions to ultimately see them succeeding together with their customers.


In this project, her expertise and experience have been invaluable and she has always ensured that concerns and issues raised are promptly dealt with to the mutual satisfaction of all parties.


Janet has been part of the Credit Union industry for more than 12 years. As well as managing a Credit Union with seven branches, she is Chair of the Association’s Marketing Group and an elected member on Enterprise New Zealand Trust’s Supporters Council. She has led Credit Unions’ involvement with the Primary Enterprise Programme, run by Enterprise New Zealand Trust, which teaches financial literacy in schools throughout New Zealand.


Before Janet joined the Credit Union industry, she spent many years with the Waikato Trust Bank group, becoming their first female branch manager, at the age of 20.