Tom’s leadership was a compass for credit union

Tom Allen understood something fundamental about credit unions, said Derek Smith as he paid tribute to his departing colleague at the Mullingar offices on Friday afternoon.

Friday was Tom’s last day working at North Midlands Credit Union after 27 years, and he has handed over the role of manger to Derek.

Speaking at a gathering of staff and guests on Friday, Derek led the tributes to Tom. He said that Tom understood that “a credit union is not simply a financial institution, it’s a community built on trust. It exists not for profit, but for purpose.”

“Throughout Tom’s career, no matter what the topic at hand – be it growth, strategy, regulatory change, digital transformation, transfers and engagements, graphs, spreadsheets – he consistently brought the conversation back to one essential question: ‘what does this mean to our members?’.

“That question became a compass for this organisation: it shaped our decisions, it safeguarded our ethos, and it ensured that progress never came at the expense of principle.”

Derek said that under Tom’s leadership, NMCU “has grown stronger, more resilient, and more respected – and perhaps Tom’s greatest achievement is that as we grew, we never lost sight of who we are. The ethos of people helping people has remained at the heart of everything we do.”

Tom’s reputation in the movement “extends well beyond this organisation”, said Derek. “Across the credit union sector, he’s known as thoughtful, measured, deeply principled. When he spoke, colleagues listened. He has been a steady and respected voice for the whole movement as a whole.”

Addressing the board, he said, “you have had a CEO who understood the stewardship, someone who balanced ambition with responsibility”; and addressing his colleagues on the staff, he said, “we have had a friend, a leader who expected high standards, but who led with fairness, decency and respect”.

“And to all our members, you’ve had a CEO who never lost sight of the fact that every balance sheet reflects real lives and real trust.”

Concluding, Derek said: “Tom, you leave this credit union not only successful, but secure in its identity and confidence in its future. On behalf of the board, the staff, the members and colleagues across the sector, we thank you for your integrity, your wisdom and your unwavering commitment to the credit union ethos. Congratulations, Tom, on an extraordinary career and a truly well-deserved retirement.”