CFTEA Council Spotlight: Valerie Hale, Retail Banking Trainer, Kennebunk Savings
A huge round of applause for CFTEA’s newest council member, Valerie Hale! CFTEA Regional Advisory Council members provide key insights into the needs of the community and provide professional expertise with diverse perspectives. They are truly CFTEA champions! Council members are always invited as observers to board meetings and may look to become board members.
Valerie is a long-time CFTEA student with numerous awards who looks for ways to give back to others. “I want to become a council member to get a further look into what goes into everything that CFTEA does. I also wanted to get additional tools to be the best trainer/instructor that I can be. I also think there is great value in collaborating/networking with individuals from other institutions.”
“I started taking CFTEA courses shortly after I started with Kennebunk Savings probably around 2007. At that time, I was working through the Certified Master Teller Program (Updated in 2019 as the Certified Modern Banking Representative). It gave me such a wealth of knowledge to be able to navigate through being a new banker. I’ve also started instructing in the last year and have enjoyed the experience and reward of giving back to the students which also helped me develop my hands-on training in my day-to-day role. I recommend CFTEA to anyone looking to gain additional knowledge in any future or future career path interests.”
While reflecting on CFTEA’s core values of Trusted, Flexible, Passionate, and Innovative, Valerie shared the story of how those values have affected others in her organization. “I think the thing that stands out for me the most comes from my colleague, Mary Swift, who is extremely passionate about CFTEA and has taken that passion to a new level when onboarding new students and instructors. She has developed Teaching Adults amongst the Kennebunk Savings’ instructors and because of that has had a great interest in new instructors wanting to teach.”
What does Valerie believe will be the most rewarding part of being a council member? “I anticipate the different perspectives individuals bring to the council as well as staying informed about continuing education possibilities. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the development of courses, career paths, and awards that meet the needs of those at financial institutions.”