Get to Know Our Chief Lending Officer
Podcast Transcription
Money Talk is a podcast brought to you by PFCU where we will share tips and tricks and talk to the experts on all things finance related. Join us as we cover everything from credit and loans to cyber security and careers. No matter where you are in life, PFCU is here for you.
Maddy: Welcome to another special episode of PFCU’s Money Talk Podcast, I’m your host Maddy. This week we’re getting to know PFCU’s SVP of Lending, LeAnne Hixon. I really enjoyed learning about what LeAnne likes to do when she’s not at work, the one thing she loves to spend her money on and a surprising fact about her that has a lot to do with frogs. Let’s welcome, LeAnne!
LeAnne: I am LeAnne Hixon and I serve as PFCU’s SVP of Lending. I’ve been with the credit union now for 16 years, and I love it.
Maddy: Can you think back to what your very first job was, when you were, like, 15or 16?
LeAnne: Yes, I was 15, and I worked at Ponderosa and I think there’s still a few still left out there but it’s not very common.
Maddy: Yeah, how long were you there for? Was it a quick blip or were you there for a few years?
LeAnne: No, I was there for a few months. Restaurants were not…I knew that was not what I wanted to do career-wise for sure so I took the job there until I was actually able to start as a co-op student through our school and they helped place me then into other positions.
Maddy: Can you share then, you said you’ve been with, here for 16 years, is that how you got your start in credit union land or were you somewhere before that? How did that, what did that look like?
LeAnne: It is, Yes. So, I started as a co-op student when I was 16 with a bank that then actually had switched to another bank, at Old Kent Bank actually and then I went in to get my first car loan and I was 16 and my grandfather was cosigned for me and he was like, oh no we’re going to go to the credit union. And so, I went in and got my first car loan with the credit union, another local credit union, and the loan officer asked me then, why are you working for a bank? You need to apply here.
Maddy: Yeah.
LeAnne: So, I actually did and was hired and I stayed at that credit union as a co-op student until I graduated then furthered my career at that credit union as well until I came here so, really, I have been in credit unions now for over 25 years.
Maddy: Nice!
LeAnne: Which is a long time to say.
Maddy: Yeah, I mean that says something, it must be good, right?
LeAnne: It is. Absolutely.
Maddy: What is something that someone would be surprised to learn about you?
LeAnne: I like frogs. I think they’re very cool and we live in the country, I’ve got 3 kids and 2 are boys and growing they loved frogs. So, we have colorful dart frogs, we have gone out looking, yeah.
Maddy: That is something I didn’t know about you, that is super interesting. Have you, you’ve had like pets? You keep pet frogs or is it just something you go outside and find them?
LeAnne: Oh yeah. So, it started with the boys wanting to go, they would say frog hunting but don’t actually do anything with them, we just find them and they thought they were really cool and my middle son loved the colorful different frogs that you can get. Like, there’s dart frogs and things like that so, when they were probably like 10 and 12 or 10 and 13, we went and got some dart frogs and they actually are not frogs you can play with or hold because they can poisonous but they’re really pretty and colorful. So, we’ve had both, we’ve gone out in the wild and looked for them and we’ve had them as pets.
Maddy: Wow! Is there a favorite vacation that you’ve taken or maybe a dream vacation that you would like to take someday?
LeAnne: I love to travel so, I actually don’t like to go to the same place more than once. I love to see different things so, I’ve kind of been a little bit all over the US at different points in my life but I would love to go to Australia someday. I think that would be amazing.
Maddy: Yeah, that would be really cool. But I feel like there’s lots of scary animals and spiders there that would make me a little nervous.
LeAnne: I’m not really afraid of spiders but I’m not a huge fan but I would love to see kangaroos in the wild.
Maddy: Oh yeah, that would be cool. What do you like to do for fun in your free time?
LeAnne: I love to be outside so, not a super big fan of the winter we have in Michigan but I love to do anything outside. I’m pretty active, I’ve got 3 teenage kids and they keep me pretty busy and honestly, watching them play sports throughout the years and being outside and swimming, you know, anything in the sun, so.
Maddy: So, you’re glad that winter is about over, I’m hoping. It’s nice today but I’m not getting my hopes up too high because I feel like I think it’s over and then we get a snowstorm and then my hopes are just gone.
LeAnne: Right, I’ve always said, like, be prepared for winter to last through April when you live in Michigan. You know, when winter first starts, honestly, you’re, everybody’s busy, you know, we’re rushed and we’re always trying to go a hundred miles an hour from here and there and so, winter hits and kind of slows everything down a little bit. So, I feel like we kind of need it to a certain degree but…
Maddy: Right.
LeAnne: It doesn’t have to go until April or May. By that point we’re over it.
Maddy: We’re over it, yes. What is your favorite thing to spend money on and your least favorite thing to spend money on?
LeAnne: My favorite thing to spend money on is travel, I love to travel. I love to take my kids and see new things and have them experience things or even myself so, I would say that’s my favorite thing to spend money on. I would say my least favorite thing to spend money on would be just the requirements of life, right, like your bills, things like that. So, I’ll just share, as I mentioned, teenage children, and I got one of my bills for Amazon Prime and there were a ton of TV shows that my son purchased on there and I was like, what are you doing? You’re purchasing TV, you can watch anywhere! Like, that stuff just kind of drives me crazy, like don’t do things like that.
Maddy: Yeah.
LeAnne: We could go somewhere or do something.
Maddy: Right. So, more of the experiences rather than things, you’d rather spend your money on.
LeAnne: Yes, absolutely. I have, you know, over the years I’ve found with having children and family, you know, all the holidays and birthdays and things like that, the older they’ve gotten, I’ve tried to gear everything towards an experience so, for the last couple of years that’s what we’ve done and even holiday time we give them an experience. We’re going to go somewhere, do something as a family and make memories.
Maddy: Yeah, that’s awesome. Alright, well that was the last question I had for you but I do have a lightening round, we’re going to do this or that. So, I’m going to give you a list of things and you will have to pick one.
LeAnne: Awesome.
Maddy: So, do you prefer coffee or tea?
LeAnne: Coffee.
Maddy: Summer or winter?
LeAnne: Summer.
Maddy: I was going to say, I feel like we covered that already. Hulu or Netflix?
LeAnne: Hulu.
Maddy: Do you prefer to online shop or go to the store?
LeAnne: Online.
Maddy: I’m with you there.
LeAnne: For sure.
Maddy: Yeah. Are you more of an early bird or night owl?
LeAnne: Night owl.
Maddy: Do you hit snooze 10 times like I do in the morning? It’s been so bad lately.
LeAnne: Yes, I feel like I’m the only one in my house that’s a night owl but yes. Everybody else is like, up the first time the alarm goes off and getting ready and here I am hitting snooze.
Maddy: Yup. Cats or dogs?
LeAnne: Dogs.
Maddy: Do you have dogs?
LeAnne: I have one, her name is Hazy May.
Maddy: Aw! Do you prefer to text or call?
LeAnne: Call.
Maddy: Okay. Eating in or going out to eat?
LeAnne: Eating in, probably.
Maddy: Okay, and do you prefer the beach or mountains?
LeAnne: I, that’s a toss-up, I would have to say beach because it’s typically warmer but I love the mountains as long as it’s not cold.
Maddy: Okay, okay, makes sense. That was my last one for you. I really appreciate you letting us get to know you a little better.
LeAnne: Absolutely!
Money Talk is a podcast brought to you by PFCU. PFCU offers many products and services to fit your needs, from our various loan and account options to our team of financial coaches to help you reach your goals. Make sure to take advantage of the many conveniences PFCU offers such as the mobile app, mobile wallets, bill pay and more. Visit our website at PFCU the number four me dot com to learn more. PFCU is an equal housing lender and is federally insured by the NCUA.