Carrie Aguilar

Strategic credit union leader in banking operations who leads teams through strategic vision, process improvements and robust projects. With over a decade at Valley Strong Credit Union, my roles in Operations Retail, Business and Lending have been marked by a mission to mentor and empower employees, fostering a collaborative environment where communication is paramount.

Key successes include leading our teams to streamline workflows and fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, particularly in the face of organizational changes. I am passionate about transforming teams to self-solve problems and look for inefficiencies and recommend innovative solutions. We are consistently growing our knowledge, skill set and finding innovative solutions to make processes run more robust and automated. We leverage our vendor management, always with an eye on elevating service excellence and member satisfaction.

Dynamic and results-driven banking professional with 15+ years of progressive experience in financial services and operations management at Valley Strong Credit Union. Currently serving as Processing and Research Manager, leading two departments and overseeing a 13-person team, including remote staff. Demonstrates expertise in ACH, draft, and payroll file processing, domestic and international wire transfers, levies, escheated accounts, subpoenas, and ATM/branch deposit management. Drives continuous improvement through automation initiatives and vendor collaboration, while managing multiple projects through full life cycles.

Previous roles include:

• Business Services Manager – Led business banking operations, coached and developed staff, managed small business lending, and maintained business accounts. Oversaw hiring processes, conducted interviews, recommended personnel actions, and ensured departmental compliance and efficiency.
• Assistant Branch Manager – Focused on team development, staff meetings, regulatory compliance, and member relationship management. Handled credit analysis, complex account issues, death claims, and fraud-related account actions.
• Financial Services Officer – Specialized in lending (auto, personal, consumer, mortgage, and credit cards), account auditing, credit report analysis, and training team members. Met and exceeded loan production goals while enhancing member relationships and cross-selling services.
• Central Operations Specialist III – Managed cash supply and balancing for all ATMs, investigated transaction issues via video audits, maintained GL accounts, created training manuals, and served as a key resource for ATM operations across the credit union.
• Senior Member Service Rep – Handled teller operations, vault balancing, cross-selling products, account servicing, and document processing. Promoted to Branch Champion for outstanding performance and leadership.
• Regional Occupation Center Rep – Early experience in front-line banking including transactions, cash balancing, and membership promotion presentations.

Earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business with a concentration in Finance from the University of Phoenix.