Business View Magazine | December 2020

201 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020 MERCED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES FEDERAL CREDI T UNION the board members were in agreement, they might join. It also gives the board an opportunity to see what kind of a potential director they might be. Otherwise, it can take at least six to nine months until they really know how things function and feel comfortable. Operating with honesty and transparency goes a long way in establishing the unique bond between the credit union and the Merced and Mariposa communities. Deavours acknowledges, “Merced is not a big town, and so when I talk about family, our members are actually family. We are so fortunate to enjoy so much member loyalty. Our members are loyal. They come to us and they keep coming back. They bring their family members to us because they know we will be here for them in the long-term. They know we are going to take care of them. We’re so fortunate to have a member base that is extremely loyal to us.” Speaking to the credit union’s core values, Deavours adds, “My staff knows what the values are, and we also know that we need to practice them every day. It’s not just that we can recite them…You need to make sure that you’re living those core values every single day when you are here and experiencing something with our members.”