Becky Nilsen

“If the expectation of a credit union is to successfully compete with other financial institutions to be their members’ primary financial institution, a credit union must provide a full array of financial products and services. By offering more products and services, the credit union – CUSO combination permits many opportunities to cross-sell and obtain more of the financial business of our members”.

Becky Nilsen is the chief executive officer of Desert Schools Financial Services, LLC, in Phoenix, Arizona. Desert Schools Financial Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, one of Arizona’s oldest credit unions.

A credit union leader with more than 40 years in the field, she specializes in CUSO start-up operations and acts as a consultant to other credit unions and CUSOs on policy and procedure issues, the development of business plans, establishing credit union referral and training programs, and the due diligence process for identifying a broker/dealer provider. She holds the following licenses: FINRA series 7, 66, 24, 28 & 53 as well as an agent’s license in Life and Health Insurance and Property/Casualty Insurance for the State of Arizona.

Becky serves as member of the Board of Directors for Product Research Organization for Credit Unions (PROCU) and served as a member of the executive committee in the role of Chair from 2007 - 2010 and as secretary from 2006 – 2007. She has been appointed to serve a three year term by the Supreme Court of Arizona to serve as a Public Member of the Board of Directors for the CLDP program (Certified Legal Document Preparers). Becky is a former Director on the Kiwanis Club of Phoenix Board and the Kiwanis Club of Phoenix Foundation Board. She is a former board member of the National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations (NACUSO) and served as a member of the executive committee in the role of Vice Chair 2003 – 2004, as treasurer from 2000 – 2003 and secretary from 1997-2000. She served as an executive board officer of the Seattle King County International Credit Association, the Better Business Bureau of Washington and Oregon, the Washington State Credit Union Collectors Association and the Bremerton Chapter of Credit Professionals International.

Becky led the start-up and implementation of Desert Schools Financial Services early in 1999, and she is responsible for operations, marketing, new product development and budgeting. The CUSO provides credit union members with access to quality investment, insurance and estate planning products and services. Desert Schools FCU has 375,000 members, $3 billion in assets and 50 branch locations.