Evergreen Credit Union, Portland. Maine was founded in 1951 to serve the employees of the S.D. Warren paper mill in Westbrook. Today it serves six counties in the state with a complete line of personal and business services and with multiple community partnerships.
The credit union embraces the culture and spirit of Maine in its branding. But importantly with its many local, engaged roles with the communities where it has branches. Although Maine’s fourth largest at $641 million at June 30, it resonates with a small town intimacy.
The CEO, Jason Lindstrom is a merger refugee who began his professional career at Belvoir FCU just outside Washington DC. In March 2016 the senior management and Board of Belvoir completed a merger with PenFed. In November 2016 this former Chief Marketing Officer was chosen to lead Evergreen as CEO.
The Call of Duty
Jason recently posted his thoughts on freedom, responsibility and legacy after a decade as the credit union’s leader. I might describe his thoughts as the Call of Duty. His words are a charter for anyone serving in a position of private or public responsibility for others.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about leadership over the years, and one thing has become clear to me.
The greatest leaders don’t ask, “What can I get?” They ask, “What can I leave behind?”
As America celebrates 250 years, I think that’s the real challenge for each of us.
The freedoms we enjoy today were paid for by people who believed their responsibility was bigger than themselves. They built, served, sacrificed, and invested in a future they might never see. That is a legacy worth honoring.
Every generation has the same opportunity.
Not just to celebrate America, but to strengthen it. To be present with our families. To serve our communities. To treat people with dignity. To lead with integrity. To leave every person, every team, and every place a little better than we found it.
History isn’t written only by the famous. It’s written by ordinary people who choose to do the right thing, day after day, even when no one is watching.
As we celebrate 250 years of this remarkable nation, I hope we are remembered not simply for what we believed, but for how we lived.
Happy Independence Day, America!