LANSING, Mich. — LAFCU Board of Directors has appointed Kelli Ellsworth Etchison as the credit union’s first chief diversity officer. She will also continue as LAFCU chief marketing officer, a position she has held since 2015.
As chief diversity officer, Ellsworth Etchison is responsible for the credit union’s diversity and inclusion program, its policies and goals. The position reports to LAFCU CEO Patrick Spyke.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Kelli’s experience, drive and talent to formalize this new position,” Spyke said, “as it will accelerate diversity and inclusion initiatives already in place, many of which she has been instrumental in shaping.”
In her added role, Ellsworth Etchison will provide leadership, guidance, training and support to internal and external partners in development and delivery of equity programs and tools. She will also participate in community, regional and national equity collaborations on behalf of LAFCU.
Ellsworth Etchison has more than 35 years of experience in the credit union industry and has been with LAFCU for more than 30 years.
“Working to establish diversity, equity and inclusion as shared values within LAFCU and in the community is a passion of mine,” Ellsworth Etchison said. “Internally, education will be our first step. We’ve already begun having conversations with several employee groups — creating a safe space in which to talk about the difficult or uncomfortable topics of inherent biases and how they affect employees, members, our financial products and community programs.
She is a commissioner and serves as secretary for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan and was recently appointed to the Study Committee for the City of East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission.
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About LAFCU
Chartered in 1936, LAFCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative open for membership to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Michigan and to businesses and other entities located in Michigan. The credit union serves more than 67,000 members and holds over $800 million in assets. LAFCU offers a comprehensive range of financial products and services as well as an expanding complement of financial technology solutions. Members enjoy benefits such as low fees, low interest rates on loans, high yields on savings, discounts, knowledgeable employees and nationwide access to fee-free ATMs. A recipient of the national Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award for credit unions, LAFCU enriches the communities it serves by supporting many organizations and causes. To learn more about LAFCU, call 800.748.0228 or visit www.lafcu.com.
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Photo caption
LAFCU-OTL-1-APP.jpg – LAFCU has made the virtual On Target Living System free to all employees. It’s available anywhere, anytime via the OTL app.
