Advocating for our Members, AllSouth AllStar Amelia

Our next AllSouth AllStar, Amelia, has been with us since the time she moved from New York over 14 years ago. Amelia stepped out of her comfort zone and made the courageous decision to follow her sister, who’s in the U.S. Army and who was stationed in South Carolina at the time. Shortly after moving to South Carolina, Amelia joined our AllSouth team as a teller and has worked her way up holding several positions, including her current role as Card Services Manager.

Her curiosity and tenacity for professional and personal growth have contributed to her success at AllSouth. Amelia has been a Team Lead, Assistant Manager, and Supervisor for our Call Center. “I do not confine myself to one box. I want to understand everything. I want to know the how and why behind the processes even if it’s not in my job responsibilities or my area,” said Amelia. Along the way, she learned valuable skills and experiences that would be beneficial to her current position. She also credits her success to longevity. “I must admit. I wasn’t expecting to stay here (in the U.S.) as long as I have, but I love my job, and I’ve developed great relationships, professionally and personally. Time has gone by so quickly, and I hope to finish my career at AllSouth.”

Amelia is an advocate for our members and works to protect their financial well-being. On a typical day, Amelia monitors transaction history for debit card fraud and unusual account activity to help reduce risk for our members and the Credit Union. In today’s world, debit and credit card fraud are all too common, therefore, making prevention an important aspect of providing financial services. She investigates to determine why a transaction declined or other issues regarding debit card transactions. "Amelia does a great job for AllSouth. She is very knowledgeable about our debit cards and our processing rules and procedures. She works hard to take care of our members and is a lot of fun to work with,” said Ray, our VP of Operations.

Amelia sees first-hand how debit card fraud and mismanagement can negatively affect our members. Whenever there’s an opportunity, she always makes sure to educate our members on protecting themselves and informing them about our tool, CardControl app. The app gives real-time, immediate notifications of debit card transactions. It helps members be in control of their debit card, and it protects them from fraud. “I believe member education is essential, and I enjoy sharing information with members to make them aware of the products and services that will help them make informed decisions,” said Amelia.

Amelia believes patience and common courtesy are the keys to providing excellent customer service. Whenever she’s faced with a challenging situation with a member, she always tries to put herself in their shoes. “Assisting members while they wait for an answer can be challenging at times, but it’s worth it when I’m able to help,” said Amelia. She takes the time to listen and understand their perspective to give them the best solution for their situation. “When she sees a need to help or educate our members, she doesn’t hesitate. She takes great pride in what she does and is very passionate about her work,” said her supervisor, Latrese.

When Amelia is not working, she loves spending time shopping with her best friend, her daughter, who just finished her first year of college. A self-proclaimed chef and staying true to her culture, Amelia loves cooking many Trinidadian dishes, especially anything cooked with curry. Although Amelia is many miles away from her large family in Trinidad where she grew up, she’s happy to be here, and she appreciates her career journey every step of the way at AllSouth.