Jon Roberts is the newly appointed senior vice president and chief information officer at Navigant Credit Union. Roberts, who joined the credit union in 2013, has developed the financial institution’s analytics, data and technology team.
Roberts talks with Providence Business News about his new position, how data and technology advancements are impacting the credit union industry and what challenges come along with them.
PBN: Can you tell our readers a little bit about your professional background and what makes you qualified for this new role?
ROBERTS: I have been involved in the field of technology for over 12 years, focusing primarily on data and analytics. Working with and analyzing data has helped me understand and experience all facets of business. Throughout the years, I have been fortunate enough to work within the majority of the traditional areas of IT. A combination of experience, ability and understanding of business is necessary for any leader in this rapidly evolving technology landscape.
PBN: What are you hoping to achieve as chief information officer?
ROBERTS: I hope to do my part in keeping Navigant Credit Union on its path of success, which – thanks to strong leadership – has been consistent for more than a century. As CIO, I look forward to using all the data and technology available to improve the financial lives of our members. As technology continues to advance, consumers’ expectation of the quality and performance of services has increased dramatically. It is no longer enough to compare yourself to local competitors or other organizations within your sector. Navigant Credit Union’s apps and technology are now competing with those of Facebook, Google and Amazon.
PBN: How has data-driven analytics impacted the credit union industry and Navigant Credit Union, specifically?
ROBERTS: Along with, of course, our members and staff, I consider data one of the most valuable assets we have. Data-driven analytics have opened the doors for credit unions to more fully understand their members. As an industry, the credit unions that have been most successful over the years are the ones that ensure they utilize all the data they have at their disposal. The innovation and speed with which new financial technology becomes available helps credit unions become more knowledgeable about large, long-term technology investments. Credit unions need to use data-driven analytics and understand their member base to ensure they are making the right decisions at the right time. At Navigant Credit Union, we make investments in our data and constantly strive to find new ways to use data for the betterment of our members.
PBN: How about technology?
ROBERTS: The technology improvements in the credit union industry have been astounding in the last five years. We continue to see improvements in everything from ATMs, mobile and web platforms, cloud-computing architecture, security, branch peripherals, back-office processing – the list goes on and on. As Navigant Credit Union continues to grow, we’ll leverage many of these technologies to improve our processing accuracy and turnaround times through business process automation and improvements in our core processing software. These technologies provide convenience and accessibility for our members, while also being more secure.
PBN: In these areas of business, what are the biggest challenges facing Navigant Credit Union and how do you hope to meet them?
ROBERTS: With the growth in technology and the continuous push to internet-enabled devices, cybersecurity is one of the hottest topics in the industry. We continue to use smarter, more powerful software and hardware to protect our data, but – at the same time – so do the hackers looking to access that information. It’s not just about having the right software or hardware in place anymore. As an organization, you must create a true culture of cybersecurity.
At Navigant, every employee is aware of the risks and understands their responsibility to protect our members and their data. We have a fantastic team, and we’re all working together to create and maintain that culture. The challenge with this is often the balance between security and convenience for our members. It is important to keep members educated and informed on precautionary measures they can take and why we do some of the things we do on their behalf. Our retail team has been paramount in delivering that messaging and being ambassadors of this culture for Navigant Credit Union.
Eli Sherman is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Sherman@PBN.com, or you can follow him on Twitter @Eli_Sherman.
