FLINT, Mich. — Financial Plus Credit Union has launched Torque Leadership, its first wholly owned credit union service organization (CUSO), to provide leadership development, executive coaching, organizational consulting and strategic planning services to businesses and other organizations.
The $1.7 billion-asset credit union said the new CUSO will extend its internal leadership development expertise to outside organizations, including other credit unions, community banks, corporations, nonprofits, educational institutions and government agencies.
“Torque allows us to extend that philosophy beyond our own organization and share the leadership development, coaching, and strategic expertise that has helped shape our success,” Financial Plus President and CEO Brad Bergmooser said in a statement.
Bergmooser described the launch as “an exciting evolution of the cooperative spirit that drives everything we do.”
Services Offered
According to Financial Plus, Torque Leadership will provide customized services in six areas:
- Leadership development
- Culture transformation
- Team effectiveness
- Strategic solutions
- Executive and professional coaching
- Sales and service excellence
The credit union said the CUSO will tailor its services to each organization’s goals, challenges and workplace culture, emphasizing sustainable improvements and long-term results.
Financial Plus said the venture reflects the credit union movement’s cooperative philosophy of “People Helping People” by making leadership development and organizational consulting services available to a broader range of institutions.
Leadership Team Named
Torque Leadership will be led by Bill Thena, director of organizational development at Financial Plus, and Genevieve Coyne, senior talent development partner.
“The goal of Torque is to take very important people from where they are to where they want to go, and that includes every person in the organization,” Thena said in a statement.
The CUSO’s approach is based on a philosophy it calls “Build, Believe, Become,” which focuses on helping organizations establish a vision and strategic roadmap, develop employee commitment to that vision and implement changes designed to achieve their objectives.
Financial Plus said the new organization will also provide an opportunity for the credit union to expand its influence beyond traditional financial services by helping other institutions strengthen their leadership teams and organizational performance.
