PACU Team Finds Their Joy at All-Day Team-Building Event

On Presidents’ Day, a holiday that honors leadership and collaboration, PACU employees came together to receive updates on the credit union. Attendees listened to highlights for 2024 and explored new programs, ideas and growth opportunities for 2025 during our annual PACU Day.

Many financial institutions, particularly credit unions, have faced setbacks in recent years. However, PACU has excelled despite the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, inflation, and rising interest rates.

“We are moving forward and upward,” said President & CEO Dion Williams during his opening remarks. “We have strong momentum for the upcoming year. However, achieving our goals requires collaboration and hard work from everyone. To attract and retain new members, we all must strive for excellence. Our priority remains to meet our members where they are and to embody Simply Service® in everything we do.”

The concepts of "belonging," "experience" and "collaboration" were central to all of the presentations at the event, which had a unifying theme of finding the joy within to serve our communities better.

Dion spoke of an interview about the iPod's initial launch, during which Steve Jobs stated that it would succeed because he and his team created a product they personally would use and enjoy.

"You might be wondering how Apple connects to a mid-sized credit union in Winston-Salem, but it does," Dion explained. "Like Steve Jobs and his team, to create a successful and beneficial experience, we must develop something we enjoy and use ourselves. We must design an experience that makes our members and employees feel like they belong."

The first step in creating a better banking experience at PACU is finding a work-life balance that suits you and promotes personal fulfillment that transfers into the workplace.

During the keynote presentation, Dr. Meredith Adams, MD, MS, FASA, FAMIA, discussed the benefits of cultivating a work-life balance that gives you opportunities to “find your play.”

What is play? Dr. Adams described it as a voluntary, purposeless activity that brings a sense of self. Your idea of play may differ from someone else’s, but Dr. Adams suggested that it should at least be an activity you enjoy.

Dr. Adams referenced studies indicating that engaging in play or hobbies can lead to longer, healthier lives. She also noted that such activities can enhance adaptability, flexibility, frustration tolerance, problem-solving skills and empathy.

"There are always other things to do, such as obligations and time constraints," Dr. Adams stated. "However, if you take the time to prioritize the small moments that bring you joy, even without a specific purpose, that joy will overflow into other areas of your life, including your work."

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated, as well as to the Organizational Development, for their hard work in planning and organizing PACU Day!