Community First Credit Union
Sara Griggs has an extensive work history in the credit union industry. Sara began their career in 2007 as an Executive Assistant at Community First Credit Union. In 2009, they moved to Emery Federal Credit Union for a brief period where they also served as an Executive Assistant. Later that year, Sara returned to Community First Credit Union in a different Executive Assistant role. Over the years, they progressed in their career and held various positions such as Electronic Services Supervisor, Human Resources Coordinator, Human Resources Manager, and Vice President of People. Currently, Sara is the Chief People Officer at Community First Credit Union.
Sara Griggs completed their Master of Science in Leadership, with an emphasis in HR Management, at Regis University from 2009 to 2012. Prior to that, they obtained their Bachelor's degree in Human Communication from Southern Oregon University, where they studied Communication from 2001 to 2005.
Community First Credit Union
We put people before profits. For 60 years we have chosen to not behave like a Wall Street bank. A bank is owned by stockholders. They are rarely customers, but bought stock in hopes that its value would increase. The primary role of a bank CEO is to raise stock price. The result? Customers get squeezed, shortcuts get taken, and fees become a profit center. The role of the CEO at a not-for-profit financial cooperative is to create wealth for its Members and the communities it serves. Any would-be profits are pushed back to Members and the cooperative –– like next-gen ATMs, new online conveniences, and additional branches. Community First Credit Union was founded in 1961 by seven LOCAL teachers who were denied home loans by banks. In 2017, Community First merged with Mendo Lake Credit Union, also founded by LOCAL teachers back in 1959. The Mendo Lake Credit Union charter was retained, and because the service area of the not-for-profit financial cooperative expanded to include five Northern California counties (Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma), the Community First name was adopted for the combined credit union. Big banks take local deposits and lend them wherever they get the best return - L.A., Houston, Dubai. A financial cooperative is a better way to bank. At Community First Credit Union, your locally earned dollars must stay in the LOCAL economy. This helps your neighbors, police, parks, paramedics, schools –– in your back yard. What's more, we've been specially designated as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and a Juntos Avanzamos credit union - which means we go above and beyond to serve our LOCAL communities. Check it out!