Live The Life You Want To Live
(What Financial Health Means To Me)

Life has changed, of course. I’m no longer the kid helping out with his big brother’s paper route in the middle of the Pittsburgh winter, just to have a little extra cash. And it’s been quite some time since I was a teenager, going door-to-door mowing lawns to buy that BMX bike with the mag wheels or working the pizza ovens at a local amusement park to pay for my hockey gear. I’m a dad now, a husband; I’m a man with a strong desire to make a difference in my community. But what I learned back then still applies today: financial health means being able to live the life I want to live.

As President and soon-to-be CEO of Call Federal Credit Union, I’m stepping into a role my predecessor, Roger Ball, defined with his integrity and true passion for our membership. My own legacy is yet to be determined; I have no doubt that it will focus on building up the personal financial strength of our members and everything that goes into that—knowledge, awareness, security, and, above all, the trusted relationships that make Call Federal what it is.

People Helping People

At Call Federal, our goal is to empower our members to lead healthy financial lives, but what that means varies by individual. We don’t sit here and tell people what should be important to them at different stages of life. We build relationships to better understand their goals and challenges, then work together to find a unique path toward success.

Having grown up in a blue-collar household, living paycheck to paycheck, I’ve seen many different definitions of what financial health means… and that was just within my own family. Not only is it okay that “financial health” means different things to different people, it’s amazing! I think that every time I hear your stories and I can’t wait for more. I want to make sure that we’re giving you everything we can.

The Right Size To Serve

I couldn’t be more appreciative of the team we have. I see their dedication, professionalism, and the drive to make things happen every single day. And beyond our people, I see great potential in online & mobile banking platforms, to say nothing of opportunities for account security at our fingertips, data centers, and whatever else is coming next. Call Federal has all the resources we need to do what we want to do without being so big that we’re not able to move quickly, pivot, and explore new directions. Whatever it takes to serve our members best.

Dedication to financial health has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  With all that in mind, I turn my focus to you, Call Federal members. As President and CEO of your credit union, I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish together. What is your vision for how we can achieve what we have set out to do, to improve your financial life and those of your fellow members? I look forward to hearing from you, learning from you, and sharing this journey with all of you in the years to come.

Learn more about John West (video) and this moment for Call Federal.