‘Chameleon’ Leader Ricardo Pineres Shares His Journey to USSFCU’s Executive Team

Number of years at current credit union: One
 
Educational background: J.D. from George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.; B.A. from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.
 
CU Times: What are your key responsibilities in your current role?

Pineres: The Maryland & DC Credit Union Association gave me an opportunity to join its government relations team after I graduated from law school. Through working with the association’s members, I gained a huge appreciation for how much the industry cares about its members and the communities we serve.
 
CU Times: What unique skills, experience and attributes do you bring to your role?

Pineres: I have worked in so many different roles and at companies of widely varying sizes that I bring a wide-angle lens that helps our team see how others are tackling the issues that face us and our members. By being able to point to specific examples of how fintechs and large players are pushing the boundaries and evaluating the risk propositions of where to innovate, I can help my partners see around the corner so that we can plan for how to enhance the way we deliver products and services to our members.
 
CU Times: Which person (or people) do you credit the most for helping and supporting you along your career journey?

Pineres: There have been so many people who have helped me along my journey, but I do want to give a quick acknowledgement to four people: [CU Strategic Planning Chief Experience Officer] Mike Beall for introducing me to the credit union industry; my current CEO, Tim Anderson, for giving me a chance to join this wonderful team at USSFCU; [Navy Federal Credit Union’s] JiJi Bahhur for allowing me the opportunity to transition to legal and compliance work; and, most importantly, my wife for being supportive of my various career moves, even if she thought I was crazy for some of them.

CU Times: What are some of the biggest differences between working in your current executive level role and your previous, non-executive roles?

Pineres: The biggest difference is that I no longer have the luxury of taking large chunks of time to dwell on a minute legal point. I have had to figure out how to strike the right balance regarding when it is appropriate to take a deep dive on some items and when I need to let my team be my eyes and ears on other items. It can feel like walking on a balance beam.
 
CU Times: What’s a challenge you faced when you first joined your executive team, and how did you overcome it?

Pineres: Before joining USSFCU, I was on the executive team at fintech startup. The hardest challenge I faced was how to adapt to being part of the face of strategic initiatives and policy changes, especially when things negatively affected some of the employees. I approached it by being better plugged into our team’s sentiments so that I could be a voice for them on the executive team. It led to some changes, and when it did not, I was able to explain why we went in the other direction. This increased trust amongst the team.
 
CU Times: How would you describe your current leadership style?

Pineres: Chameleon. It is critical that I adapt to my surroundings. A leader should never be the one putting the onus on their team to adjust to the leader’s preferences. A leader should always be working in service of the team’s needs, including meeting individual team members at their level.
 
CU Times: What are some lessons you've learned over your career concerning how to communicate well with others? 

Pineres: When engaging with somebody, it is essential that I am always perceiving how my message is being received so that I can adjust to my audience. Likewise, it is important for me to be mindful of how I am receiving information and ensuring that I am signaling to the presenter when I am missing something.

CU Times: What are some ways in which you achieve work/life balance, set boundaries and/or avoid burnout at work?

Pineres: Technology continually changes the way we work, and it has largely been a positive for my work/life balance. I can now be more physically present in the lives of my family members without feeling like I am abandoning my responsibilities at work. This has been enhanced by a shift to more hybrid and remote flexibilities, such as those that we have embraced at USSFCU. That said, it also means that I must be mindful about not being mentally elsewhere when I am with my family, so I have set up personal boundaries where I do not look at my phone and can be fully present for my family, including family dinner time and my weekly rounds of golf with the kids.
 
CU Times: What’s next for you on your executive career journey? Do you have any specific career goals you’re working toward?

Pineres: I have always looked to find something that gets me excited to wake up every morning and that will keep me learning. So, I am just looking to keep doing that in this role or any future opportunity that may present itself.
 
CU Times: What big-picture impact do you hope to make within your credit union, as well as for your members and community? 

Pineres: I am working toward continuously enhancing our risk and legal operations so that we can be best positioned to mitigate the risks associated with leaning into leveraging technological enhancements that will allow us to deliver the products and services of the future. My goal is that my team is fully positioned to be a partner to our colleagues across the organization as they explore the art of the possible.
 
CU Times: What career advice would you give your younger self?

Pineres: If you think it is the right thing to do, don’t be afraid to zig while others think you should zag.

Would you or someone you know like to share your journey to credit union leadership? Please reach out to Natasha Chilingerian at nchilingerian@cutimes.com. To qualify, the individual must be a part of a credit union's leadership team or C-suite, and have a compelling story to share about their rise to their current leadership role.