Board of Directors - TCU Financial Group

Meet the Board of Directors

Stephanie Mansfield Chair Regina Board Member since: 2013	Stephanie grew up in a small town in South West Saskatchewan, where early in life she became familiar with the benefits of the cooperative way. She has been a member of TCU Financial Group since 1996. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources. In December 2020, she retired from the Regina Police Service after 25 years of service - first as a 9-1-1 Operator/Police Dispatcher and finishing as a Human Resource Consultant. In her retirement, she works part time as the HR/Business Manager at the Veterinary Mobility Center. She lives in Regina with her husband, Tom, and their three cats. She is the proud mother of three sons and grandmother to two grandsons.
Angela Prokop Vice Chair Regina Board Member since: 2020	Growing up in small town Saskatchewan, Angela is very familiar with the vision and values of credit unions and her first bank account was a Fat Cat account! Angela convocated from the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Administration in 2001. Following graduation, Angela enrolled in the CASB program while working at Virtus Group in Regina. In 2003, Angela accepted a position with Ashton Chartered accountants in Hay River, NWT and finished her CA designation. In 2005, Angela accepted a position with Deloitte in Bermuda. After her initial contract with Deloitte, Angela accepted a role with Lancashire Insurance Company also in Bermuda where she stayed until 2011. After moving back to Canada, Angela worked for the Government of Saskatchewan in the Provincial Comptrollers Office before accepting a role at Harvard Broadcasting in 2012. Angela is now the SVP/CFO for Harvard Media and is responsible for overseeing all financial details for 13 radio stations across Saskatchewan and Alberta. Angela married her husband Mitch in 2016 and together have grown a real estate investment business, which led them to TCU Financial. When not working, Angela spends much of her spare time travelling or at their cottage which was purchased with the help of TCU Financial.
Brendan Bitz Saskatoon Board Member since: 2013	Brendan serves as the Director of Queen’s House Retreat & Renewal Centre located in Saskatoon. He spent 30 years as a teacher and administrator with the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and has degrees in arts, science, education and administration. He and his wife Louise share four children, three daughters-in-law, a son-in-law and four grandchildren! Brendan is involved in numerous community activities and organizations and has been a lifelong member of the Credit Union.
Nicole Cox Chair - Governance & Human Resources Committee Saskatoon Board Member since: 2019	Nicole has been a member of TCU for as long as she has had a bank account. Her family has worked with TCU from both a personal and small business standpoint. Nicole is currently employed at the Saskatchewan Health Authority as Director of Quality, Safety, and Logistics for Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Simply put, her job is about ensuring patients get the best service from the lab that they can possibly provide. It requires strategic thinking, regulatory compliance, and working with a team of fabulously talented individuals. Nicole believes that the work they do makes a positive impact to patient health care, which is important to her. Nicole loved school and earned a BSc in Microbiology, MSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology, and an MBA from the University of Saskatchewan. Reading, seminars, and extracurricular courses continue to feed her drive to learn new things. She would love the opportunity to learn more about TCU and the needs of other members. Nicole wants to contribute to our community as well as make a positive impact on overall financial health.
David Froh Regina Board Member since: 2022	A TCU member for over 30 years, David is a community leader with 15 years of experience in international trade and economic development, having recently served as Vice President, Economic Development Regina. Currently, Vice President of the Regina Food Bank, David works to fight food insecurity. David‘s passion is working to make Saskatchewan a more caring, dynamic and prosperous community by identifying opportunity and then rallying the community around ways to make it happen. David is a Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) and holds a Master of Arts in Political Science. David offers governance experience having chaired the boards of the Regina YMCA, Regina District Industry & Education, and Regina Warehouse Board of Directors. David is a deep believer in the cooperative and credit union movement, and along with his wife Ashley and children Lydia & Oliver are proud to call Regina home. His family enjoys paddling, camping, and exploring our great outdoors.
Brett Gerich Saskatoon Board Member since: 2022	Growing up in a bedroom community outside Saskatoon, Brett has been a credit union member since childhood and a TCU member since 2004. Brett currently resides in Saskatoon with his wife and two amazing children. After convocation from the University of Saskatchewan College of Commerce in 2007, Brett entered into the Economic Development sector with SaskMetis Economic Development Corporation (SMEDCO) in a business advisory role. He found a passion for economic development and provided advice and financing for the entrepreneurial ambitions of the Metis Nation - Saskatchewan citizens. During the Saskatchewan construction boom, Brett decided to leave the economic development field and pursue a trade as an electrician. After obtaining journeyman status, Brett found himself serving Metis people with an affordable housing provider in Saskatoon. While in this role, he managed a large residential revitalization project of a 400-plus unit portfolio. As this project was completed, a position was available back at SMEDCO, where he is now the Operations Manager. Brett is excited about the future of TCU Financial Group and its membership. He hopes to offer a different perspective and to support the executive management's role in caring for the well-being of the staff and the TCU members.
Donald Hobday Regina Board Member since: 2021	For most of his career, Donald has held in-house roles because of the opportunities to provide meaningful legal advice with a view towards the strategic goals of the client organization. He believes advice should be able to anticipate the unexpected. Donald has been a member of TCU since the 1980s. As a teenager, he attended co-op summer camps. Courses on co-operative development, history and economics were part of his undergraduate education. Donald is a believer in putting in the effort to fully grasp any questions and challenges that may arise, analyzing and evaluating all recommendations that come forth, and providing the best direction that can put the interests of the organization and its members first. Donald is from Saskatoon and resides in Regina.
Tony Linner Chair - Risk Committee Saskatoon Board Member since: 2006	During Tony’s 30-year career in education, he was a teacher in Prince Albert and Saskatoon, and a principal in Macklin. He was also employed by the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation as an Executive Assistant for fifteen years. Following his superannuation in August 2002, he established AC Linner Consulting, focusing on educational consultant work. Tony and his wife Donna have been TCU members since 1974.
Darcy McLean Chair - Audit Committee Saskatoon Board Member since: 2008	Darcy graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. Following 24 years in the Fabric building industry with Cover-All Building Systems and Norseman Structures, Darcy has recently changed companies. He is enjoying his new challenge as General Manager of Construx Building Products, supplying building materials and prefabricated panels to Residential, Commercial and Industrial customers. Darcy has three amazing children and is married to Lindsey.
Patricia Warwick Saskatoon Board Member since: 2021	Patricia is pleased to have been acclaimed to the TCU Financial Group’s Board of Directors in 2021. She hopes her professional and personal experience will allow her to positively contribute to TCU’s continued success and improvement. Her experience includes over 25 years as a public law lawyer, volunteering for a variety of boards and community organizations, lecturing at the University of Saskatchewan and starting her own small business. Saskatoon has been Patricia’s home since 1986 and, along with her immediate and extended family, she has been a committed member of TCU since childhood. Patricia has always recognized TCU’s exceptional customer service and is looking forward to taking part in shaping TCU’s vision and being part of TCU’s growth in a governance role. Patricia is married and has two adult daughters. Their family recognizes and acknowledges that we are settlers living on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis.

Board Structure

TCU Financial Group’s board of directors is responsible for overseeing and stewarding the credit union’s operations on behalf of members.

The credit union’s Bylaws allow for members to elect 10 directors. Directors are elected for three-year terms and may be re-elected, with no limit on the number of terms a director may serve. Each year, the directors elect a chair and vice-chair from among themselves.

To assist it with its work, the board has established a number of standing committees, including:

Audit
CEO Compensation & Performance Review
Conduct Review
Executive
Governance & Human Resources
Risk

Director Responsibilities

Being a TCU Financial Group director is a big responsibility. While management oversees the day-to-day operation of the credit union, the board of directors provides guidance on long-range objectives, determines policy and monitors the credit union’s overall progress. It’s a job that demands a significant investment of time, energy and expertise.

Specific responsibilities include:

Fulfilling a number of statutory duties specified in the Credit Union Act and Credit Union Regulations
Acquiring and continually upgrading knowledge about the financial services industry, all aspects of TCU Financial Group’s business, regulatory issues and the business environment in general
Attending all meetings, unless there are significant extenuating circumstances
Preparing thoroughly for board and committee meetings and making a positive contribution to those meetings
Keeping informed about activities occurring within the areas served by TCU Financial Group
Serving on committees of the board
Undertaking all required director training and keeping current on evolving corporate governance standards and practices
Acting as an ambassador of TCU Financial Group

Board Committees

Directors are required to serve on committees of the board that carry out legislated and delegated duties. These committees include:

Audit

The purpose of the Audit Committee is to provide independent oversight of the credit union’s operations and to ensure the accuracy, integrity, security, prudence and legality of its financial transactions and records.

CEO Compensation & Performance Evaluation

The purpose of the CEO Compensation & Performance Evaluation Committee is to ensure that a fair, equitable and competitive compensation program is provided for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Additionally, this committee conducts the CEO performance evaluation and sets the performance plan for the following year.

Conduct Review

The purpose of the Conduct Review Committee is to ensure the integrity and objectivity of its directors, officers and employees. This committee monitors and reviews related party transactions with the credit union to ensure they are fair to the credit union and that best judgment is exercised in all matters or related party relationships as a result of real or perceived conflict of interest.

Executive

The purpose of the Executive Committee is to act in the capacity of, and on behalf of, the Board of Directors between regular or special Board meetings on all Board matters except those which the Board may not, in compliance with legislative requirements, delegate. Additionally, this committee sets the Board of Director’s regular meeting and planning meeting agendas.

Governance & Human Resources

The purpose of the Governance & Human Resources committee is to ensure an appropriate governance structure is in place, to oversee the election process of the Board of Directors, the Board evaluation and development process, along with human resources. This includes the compensation philosophy and culture of the organization. Additionally, this committee works closely with the executive management to formulate policies and practices to meet the needs of our members, staff and the corporate entity.

Risk

The purpose of the Risk Committee is to ensure a strong enterprise risk management framework exists. This framework provides reasonable assurance that strategic, operational, financial and regulatory objectives are achieved. The committee oversees the identification, measurement and development of strategies to manage those risks. The committee also oversees the compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Board Effectiveness

TCU Financial Group board’s focus on effectiveness, renewal and diversity ensures the board successfully upholds and fulfills its leadership and oversight responsibilities to members. It also ensures the board remains abreast of changes in the financial services industry, government relations and the credit union’s evolving strategic direction and that its members as a whole possess the qualities, attributes, experience and skills required to effectively steward the organization.

This process begins by identifying the key characteristics desired of directors. It continues with the board regularly monitoring its effectiveness and the effectiveness of individual directors through formal and informal evaluations. Where opportunities are identified to improve effectiveness, directors are supported through ongoing education and development.

The board also focuses on continually renewing itself, replacing directors who retire or unexpectedly resign or changing the board’s makeup to help it achieve long-term success and better cope with changes to the internal and external business environment.

Finally, the board recognizes that diversity is an essential element in attracting high-caliber directors, maintaining a high-functioning board and building a competitive advantage. The board considers diversity in determining the optimum composition of the board and its committees and takes steps to ensure its membership is balanced appropriately.

Board-approved Policies

Like all governing bodies, the TCU Financial Group board of directors is guided by a number of important rules. TCU Financial Group has a set of formal rules which are document in Board-approved policies.

Accountability

TCU Financial Group’s directors are required to attend a number of scheduled meetings each year. These meetings include quarterly board meetings, a budget meeting, planning sessions and a few of other planned and unplanned special meetings. In addition, each director is required to serve on at least one board committee, which meet at least quarterly.

The organization expects directors to attend as many meetings as possible. Simple attendance, however, does not constitute effective directorship. Rather, the credit union believes it is more important for directors to be thoroughly prepared, to be engaged in meetings and to make a sustained, positive contribution to the credit union’s success.

Director Compensation

Directors are expected to devote considerable time and energy to fulfilling their obligation to oversee the credit union on behalf of members. Each year, directors are required to attend quarterly board meetings, planning sessions and a number of other planned and unplanned special meetings. In addition, each director is required to serve on at least one board committee.

Compensation is set at a rate comparable with like-sized credit unions.