River City Six: Ann Helm
Centris Federal Credit Union (www.centrisfcu.org) is a member owned financial institution providing a full array of loans and deposit products and services for consumers and businesses. Ann Helm is a Senior Vice President at Centris.
Tell us a little about your business.
We are a full-service credit union with ten branches operating in the Omaha and Council Bluffs metro area, and one branch each in North Platte and Grand Island. We have been in operation since 1934 and pride ourselves on superior service, being member owned and that decisions are made locally. I oversee retail banking, marketing, facilities, human resources and our call center.
How did you get started in the business?
Fifteen years ago I started my career in human resources at Centris. I’ve been fortunate to have been promoted to various positions within the credit union, allowing me to gain the knowledge needed to be in the role that I have today.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally?
Balancing a growing career with expanding responsibilities, starting a family and now raising three very active young boys. Centris has been extraordinary as a family-friendly employer. I, like many other female executives, have experienced additional pressure to prove that a working mother can be supermom and a superstar employee. While this may be self-imposed, I want to show that I can do it all without skipping a beat.
What has been your most important achievement professionally?
While it’s not measurable, I know I am having a positive impact on other women when they ask me how I get it all done. I love mentoring other females who are climbing the career ladder and showing them that it is possible to have a career and family. I pride myself on lending a hand up and mentoring other women so that they too can be successful in life.
Tell us a little about your family.
I am married to a wonderful man I call my best friend and husband. We have three very active boys ages 7, 5, and 3. I have parents that love and adore their grandchildren and an older brother who used to torture me growing up but would now drop everything at a moment’s notice for my family and I. Family is important!
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life?
My dad had a couple different kinds of cancer when I was growing up. Be that as it may, he never chose a ‘woe is me’ attitude. Instead, he always believed that one’s destiny is within their control. I learned early to channel my energy on factors that I can control and to choose a positive attitude going through life.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
With or without kids? If it is without kids, I like to enjoy a warm meal, adult conversation and an adult beverage. If the day off is with kids then it would be attending a soccer, baseball, basketball or football game.
What are you the most proud of?
Raising three boys who are kind to people.
If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Time travel! I would like to travel back into history and a little into the future, but not so far that I discover how I die.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Patience with myself. I have superiorly high expectations of myself.
If you had a theme song, what would it be?
Happy by Pharrell Williams.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?
Email: ahelm@centrisfcu.org; Website: www.centrisfcu.org.