Kathleen C. Orovitz was recently named to be the new CEO and president of Navigant Credit Union, taking over from Gary E. Furtado after his retirement. She has more than 30 years of industry experience, including 13 with Navigant where she most recently served as chief retail banking officer.
PBN: What do you hope to replicate or continue from Gary Furtado’s leadership of the credit union? What might you do differently?
OROVITZ: I want to start by emphasizing how honored I am to have the opportunity to succeed Gary Furtado as Navigant Credit Union’s next president/CEO. I’ve worked at Navigant Credit Union since 2009 and feel fortunate to have had 13 years of daily opportunities to learn from Gary and all of our colleagues in every department of the organization.
As Navigant’s next leader, my overarching goal is to safeguard our credit union’s core, community-driven values and continue to build and sustain a culture that encourages trust, teamwork and workforce development.
As for what I’ll do differently, time will tell. Navigant Credit Union has enjoyed consistent success over its more than 107-year history because we’ve always placed our members’ needs first and we’ve always embraced change. We adapt to volatility, both in terms of the economy and consumer behavior, and make it a priority to understand our customers’ needs. Delivering superior value and improving members’ financial lives will stay at the forefront of everything we do.
Over the years, under Gary’s leadership and before, we’ve consistently changed the way we operate to better reflect the current environment, while always maintaining the core of who we are as a business, an employer and a community leader. I hope to continue that mission the best I can.
PBN: How has being a woman, and soon to be CEO, affected your experience in the finance industry? Have there been times you felt discriminated against or misjudged because of your gender?
OROVITZ: I understand I may be an outlier, and I do not doubt that women in the financial sector have had different experiences, but I’ll answer the question honestly: Over the course of my more than 30-year career, I’ve never felt discriminated against or misjudged because of my gender. I’ve been fortunate to have several excellent mentors, both male and female, who have helped me navigate the industry at every step of my career.
My goal throughout my career has been to return the favor and share the knowledge and insight I’ve gained from my mentors to my colleagues. That will continue to be my goal as Navigant Credit Union’s next leader. We need to take every available action to ensure our culture continues to drive an equitable workplace in which every one of our employees can reach their full potential and access the same level of support I’ve been privileged to enjoy throughout my career.
PBN: You started your career as a teller. What got you into that job in the first place, and to what do you attribute such a successful rise to the top?
OROVITZ: I mentioned mentors earlier; my greatest mentor is my father, who is now enjoying a well-earned retirement after a long career as a banker. My father was instrumental in helping me gain an understanding of the banking sector, and a strong advocate in helping me land my first “real job” in the industry 30 years ago.
Between growing up around the industry and my early experience on the customer-facing teller line, I developed a passion for helping people better understand the financial system. I knew early on that I wanted to put myself in a position to make a more impactful difference, and my roles at virtually every level of the industry’s hierarchy have helped me get to where I am today.
PBN: How would you describe your leadership style? Any areas of strength or weakness in particular?
OROVITZ: I like to think my strongest leadership skill is inspiring others to be their best. I’ve been in this business for more than three decades, but I still get as excited as ever by my colleagues’ talent, unique perspectives and big ideas. Having an opportunity to bring all that talent together and help those ideas evolve into realities is one of the great joys of coming to work every day.
I also strive to set a clear, overarching vision for my teams and empower others to do what they do best. Engaging teams through effective communications help to validate and challenge business assumptions and foster strong relations. People want to know the goal and how they contribute to the strategy. Setting expectations and affording time for discussion keeps teams committed, agile and open to capitalizing on opportunities. This practice has served me well and applies to internal and external stakeholders.
My background on the retail side of the business has also helped me realize the importance of making well-informed, time-sensitive decisions, while never allowing the process to dictate the result.
PBN: You have a background in strategic planning. What are your long-term goals/plans for Navigant? What in the next year will you do to work toward those goals?
OROVITZ: Employee satisfaction is always my top priority. An engaged leadership team and board that continues to drive our mission forward while supporting our philanthropic activities is essential to both the improvement of the communities and neighborhoods we serve and our business’s continued success.
Our long-term goal is to continue to build upon the momentum we’ve established as Rhode Island’s largest credit union and bring our services and expertise to more Rhode Islanders who need them. Our brand is well-established, and we are positioned well to gain market share. Enhancing our technology and financial service offerings will keep us relevant in the marketplace and can help to sustain growth while protecting our loyal member base. Finally, sustaining our best-in-class reputation is paramount and will be woven into every activity.
We are a retail credit union comprised of employees who share the same core values. Real, passionate, local Rhode Islanders are front and center at every level of our business – just as they were when we were founded in the basement of Central Falls’ Notre Dame church back in 1915. As long as we keep those values top of mind, I’m confident Navigant Credit Union and its members will continue enjoying success now and in the future.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.
