Charles Emmer

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), May 2, 2005 | by WAYNE HEILMAN THE GAZETTE

When Charles Emmer arrived at Ent Federal Credit Union in 1996, El Paso County's largest financial institution was feeling growing pains.

A computer glitch had not picked up $1.2 million in automated teller machine transactions, forcing Ent to collect that amount later from 12,000 customers. Members endured long teller lines and sometimes stayed on hold for an hour when they tried to call.

Poor service contributed to a chorus of complaints from Ent's 150,000 members. Directors turned to the son of a West Texas teacher -- she had been rock legend Roy Orbison's music teacher -- to make the credit union hum.

"It seemed like Ent was overwhelmed" when Emmer took over as president, said Kathryn Wallace, who worked for him as an executive at both Ent and Bank One. "He brought Ent kicking and screaming into the 20th Century to match what the large banks were offering."

The ATM problem demonstrated that Ent needed to beef up its technology, triggering two major computer system upgrades in the past eight years. Ent members are voting approval with their keyboards -- almost 40 percent use online banking and onethird get electronic statements, well ahead of most credit unions and many banks.

Since becoming Ent's president, Emmer has remade the credit union by expanding its branch network, adding a call center and Internet banking, expanding into Denver and Pueblo and offering new financial products ranging from small business loans to trust services.

Emmer, 52, doesn't view Ent's transformation as a personal accomplishment, but the product of a talented management team and dedicated board. He says his leadership style is to be a part-time coach and cheerleader and full-time groundskeeper removing clutter.

"I've been fortunate to work with a very effective board that clearly outlined a strategy and a strong and talented management team that followed that strategy," Emmer said. "The management team has earned a level of trust with the board, and I operate with a great deal of trust in the senior management staff."

Emmer traces his management style to two of his mentors, both former executives with Denver-based Affiliated Bankshares of Colorado Inc., where he spent much of his banking career in Greeley, Boulder and Colorado Springs before joining Ent.

Bob Spengler, former president of Arapahoe National Bank in Boulder, Emmer said, taught him to have a wide perspective and consider how a decision would affect the entire organization rather than focusing on a particular department or group.

Former Affiliated President Leo Hill taught Emmer to think about how his decisions would affect bank staff and customers.

Their advice helped Emmer keep Bank One and Ent focused on customers during the bank's loan problems of the late 1980s and Ent's service issues in the mid-1990s, rather than adopt a bunker mentality that often develops when organizations face crisis.

"While he is a strategic thinker and looks at the big picture, he also is sensitive to the degree that decisions impact people and customers," said Wayne Paton, president of Bank One's operations in the Springs.

Paton, who used to work for Emmer, credits him with recognizing Ent must compete with banks for customers and generate enough income to maintain and build its branch network, keep its technology up to date and offer the financial products and services that Ent's members want.

Despite growing competition -- consumers have 51 financial institutions to choose from in El Paso County -- Ent still dominates the market with 21.6 percent of all deposits as of June 30, the most recent period for which numbers are available.

During the past year, Ent has won approval to expand into parts of Denver and Pueblo, but Emmer said the credit union will remain focused on its "home base" in El Paso County. He expects Ent will grow from $1.8 billion in assets today to about $2.5 billion in five years.

"Our first job is to make sure we take care of members in the Pikes Peak region," Emmer said. "We will grow in a careful, deliberate fashion. We're not interested in growth for growth's sake. We're interested in serving members, and if you grow too fast that is a challenge."

Emmer plans to retire before he's 60 and go to work for a nonprofit group.

"I think that I have some business and management skills that can help in a different way to serve people," Emmer said.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0234 or wayneh@gazette.com

DETAILS

Emmer has been president and chief executive of Ent Federal Credit Union, El Paso County's largest financial institution, since 1996.

Age: 52

Hometown: Wink, Texas

Previous job: Chairman of Bank One's Colorado Springs operations from 1992-1996

Other work history: Worked for banks owned by Affiliated Bankshares of Colorado Inc. in Greeley and Boulder from 1980-1992. Started career at Houston National Bank in 1978.

Education: Bachelor's degree in economics and master's degree in business administration, both from University of Texas in Austin

Industry board memberships: Colorado Credit Union League, treasurer and vice chair; Members Trust Co. of Colorado, chairman