Celebrating Excellence: Meet the 2026 GoWest Award Winners

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on October 12, 2026

Don Miller, the 2026 GoWest Summit Icon winner, accepts his award.

After a record-breaking number of nominations and a competitive review, GoWest is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 GoWest Awards.

Presented at the GoWest Awards Dinner and Gala during MAXX on Oct. 9, awards were given in nine categories — five to spotlight credit unions and four that honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the development and growth of the Credit Union Movement.

Congratulations to the 2026 GoWest Award Winners!

Summit Icon

Don Miller, President & CEO, Gesa Credit Union

Under Don Miller’s leadership, Gesa Credit Union has grown from $100 million in assets to nearly $7 billion, serving more than 300,000 members across three states while continuing to expand access to financial services. That growth includes reaching rural and urban communities, launching a national digital credit union for educators, firefighters, health care workers, law enforcement, and veterans, and helping more first-time homebuyers achieve homeownership. Miller also built Gesa’s Commercial Banking Division from the ground up, reaching $1 billion in loans last year. His commitment to community impact spans generations, from an early-adopted high school credit union program that now includes 25 student-run branches to a scholarship program that has awarded more than $1.2 million since 1987 and an affinity debit card program that has directed more than $1 million to community causes.

Miller’s people-first leadership extends to Gesa’s more than 1,000 employees, creating a culture grounded in trust, service, and doing what’s right. Through the credit union’s annual Day of Service, nearly 500 employees contributed more than 2,000 hours to over 70 organizations last year, while Miller’s straightforward guidance — “Do what’s right. We’ll figure out the rest later” — empowers teams to respond when members and communities face hardship. He brings that same conviction to advocacy, building bipartisan relationships with lawmakers and showing them firsthand how credit unions make a difference, from supporting children facing medical challenges to helping students access sports medicine services. Despite Gesa’s remarkable growth and reach, Miller remains a humble leader whose actions reflect an unwavering commitment to his employees, members, communities, and the broader Credit Union Movement.

Summit Advocate

Justin Martin, President & CEO, TAPCO Credit Union

Justin Martin has been a passionate advocate for the Credit Union Movement for more than 20 years, attending nearly 70 in-person advocacy events since 2020 alone. As co-chair of the Washington Governmental Affairs Committee, Martin champions issues affecting all credit unions, bringing a steady, reasoned voice to policy discussions. He played a key role in responding to a significant tax-status challenge in his state, earning the trust of legislators through his thoughtful approach and deep understanding of the Credit Union Difference. For Martin, advocacy isn’t limited to a single event or meeting — it’s an ongoing opportunity to build relationships and demonstrate the value credit unions bring to their communities.

Martin also makes advocacy accessible and engaging for others, encouraging TAPCO employees and peers to participate in Credit Union Day at the Capitol and other opportunities to connect with policymakers. He regularly hosts elected officials at the credit union and cultivates strong relationships with key legislators, including the Speaker of the House. Under his leadership, TAPCO also supports community-focused initiatives that address critical needs, including homelessness and small-business funding. By combining sustained advocacy, coalition-building and a commitment to empowering others, Martin exemplifies how credit union leaders can advance the interests of the entire Movement while strengthening the communities they serve.

Distinguished Director

LC Williams, Space Age Credit Union

LC Williams puts members at the center of every board decision, consistently asking, “What’s the value for the member?” That focus helps guide the credit union’s products and services to meet members’ needs while fostering meaningful engagement, with more than 200 members attending the credit union’s annual meetings. Williams brings a wealth of experience to the role, including 25 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and professional experience overseeing payroll and personnel systems for government agencies, including NASA and the Supreme Court.

Williams’ commitment to service extends well beyond the boardroom. A dedicated credit union advocate, he regularly participates in Colorado Credit Union Day at the Capitol and the National Government Affairs Conference, building trusted relationships with elected officials. He also serves as a deacon in his church, reflecting a longstanding dedication to serving others. While his leadership and advocacy have made a lasting impact on Space Age Credit Union and the broader Credit Union Movement, those closest to Williams say his greatest legacy is his role as a husband, father, and grandfather.

Young Professional

Jon Maroni, Numerica Credit Union

Jon Maroni exemplifies the next generation of credit union leadership through his commitment to advocacy, community service, and financial education. Whether speaking to hundreds of high school students or helping a woman in a domestic abuse shelter open her first checking account, Maroni brings the same care and dedication to every interaction. He has transformed Numerica’s financial education program to focus on five real-life areas: budgeting, building credit, avoiding fraud, paying for education, and growing wealth.

Since joining Numerica four years ago, Maroni has volunteered more than 750 hours in community service and delivered 1,000 hours of financial education. He also introduced an interactive financial simulation game that has reached more than 4,000 people this year alone and expanded Numerica’s GreenPath partnership, helping members reduce nearly $850,000 in debt. Beyond his work at the credit union, Maroni supports the broader Credit Union Movement through GoWest’s PR and Storytelling Workgroup and serves as an expert spokesperson, demonstrating that impactful leadership is measured not by recognition, but by the difference made in people’s lives.

Employee Experience

On Tap Credit Union — Policies & Brew-cedures

On Tap Credit Union’s culture is grounded in its “K.E.G. of Excellence” — being Kind, Engaged and Genuine in every interaction. That culture empowered employees to speak up about inconsistent processes, siloed knowledge and difficulty finding information. Rather than address individual frustrations one at a time, On Tap identified the critical 20% of procedures that drive 80% of daily work and launched a 12-month initiative to make those resources easier to find, understand and use.

The result was “Policies & Brew-cedures,” an AI-searchable repository powered by NAVEX and reimagined through the credit union’s brand. The name was selected by employees, reinforcing the initiative’s people-first approach. The program has driven strong adoption, improved consistency in the member experience and created a scalable foundation for continued organizational growth.

Member Impact

Verity Credit Union — Community Cares

Verity Credit Union’s Community Cares initiative provided rapid support to families facing financial hardship following the federal government shutdown, SNAP benefit reductions and the added pressures of the holiday season. In November 2025, Verity opened its Beacon Hill and Auburn branches to members and non-members alike, offering $250 gift cards, personalized financial consultations and connections to additional resources in a welcoming, judgment-free environment.

The effort provided more than $50,000 in direct relief to more than 200 families, with every participant receiving individualized financial guidance and access to resources such as financial coaching and shutdown assistance programs. The initiative also led to more than 50 new member relationships and generated toy and food donations for community partners. Through Community Cares, Verity demonstrated how a credit union can respond with compassion and action when its community needs it most.

Community Impact

WECU — Flood Relief Assistance Program

When historic flooding devastated Whatcom and Skagit counties in December 2025, forcing more than 78,000 residents to evacuate, WECU launched a comprehensive relief effort for members, businesses and the broader community. Through its Flood Relief Assistance Program, the credit union offered free skip-a-pays, emergency loans with low or no interest rates, loan extensions, fee reversals and mortgage forbearance support to help families and businesses manage property damage, displacement and lost income.

WECU deferred more than $60,000 in loan payments and extended more than $250,000 in flood relief loans, while also providing affected businesses with low-rate commercial lending. Its response extended beyond financial assistance, with contributions to the Whatcom Community Foundation’s Resilience Fund and employees using paid volunteer time to help with cleanup and home restoration. Together, these efforts helped the community stabilize and begin its long-term recovery.

Cooperation in Action

Tucson Welcome Home — Hughes Federal Credit Union, Pima Federal Credit Union, Pyramid Federal Credit Union, Tucson Federal Credit Union and Vantage West Credit Union

Tucson Welcome Home brings five Tucson-area credit unions together to address one of Southern Arizona’s most pressing challenges: housing affordability. Tucson Federal Credit Union, Pima Federal Credit Union and Vantage West Credit Union serve as mortgage lenders, while Hughes Federal Credit Union and Pyramid Federal Credit Union provide referrals and community outreach. With support from a GoWest Foundation grant for loan-loss reserves, the partners created a shared pathway to homeownership that no single institution could have delivered alone.

The program offers 100% financing with no private mortgage insurance, no origination or application fees, free pre-approval and rate locks, and competitive fixed rates. Since launching, Tucson Welcome Home has received 356 applications, funded 76 loans totaling more than $22 million, secured 63 pre-approvals and has 47 additional loans pending. By sharing resources, expertise and community connections, the participating credit unions are putting Cooperation Among Cooperatives and Concern for Community into action.

Storytelling With Purpose

Tucson Federal Credit Union — Proudly Tucson Campaign

Tucson Federal Credit Union’s “Proudly Tucson” campaign highlighted a simple idea: consumers don’t have to choose between sophisticated financial services and a deeply local financial partner. Founded in 1937, TFCU used the campaign to shift the conversation beyond products and rates, telling the story of nearly nine decades of commitment to Southern Arizona and positioning the credit union as a neighbor, advocate and community partner.

The campaign reached current and prospective members, local business and civic leaders and broader audiences through television, digital and social media, community sponsorships, business media and thought leadership. Across those channels, TFCU shared stories of member support, community investment and local partnerships, demonstrating how its connection to Tucson is reflected in the way it serves the community every day.

GoWest is proud to have such outstanding leaders in the region. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees this year!

We look forward to honoring even more credit unions and leaders at MAXX 2027 in Denver!

Posted in GoWest Foundation, Leadership, MAXX, Storytelling, Top Headlines, Young Professionals.