From building lasting relationships, helping members with the mortgage process, to sharing basic budgeting advice, Yvonne, this month’s AllStar, has impacted the lives of many members and team members. During her 35 year career (wow! 35 years) with AllSouth, her knowledge, dedication, and willingness to help others have been invaluable.
Yvonne began her career with us as a loan receptionist at our first branch location on Fort Jackson. Her position as a loan receptionist offered her exposure to credit unions and operations. Because of her desire to learn more and continue her professional growth with the Credit Union, she took the opportunity when she was transferred to our loan administration and servicing department. She gained valuable skills and experience, worked hard, and was later promoted to her current position as the senior mortgage servicing specialist. In her current position, Yvonne handles mortgage escrow accounts for taxes and insurance, services mortgage accounts, and general maintenance on mortgage accounts.
Yvonne knows a thing or two about multitasking. On any given day, she processes reports, invoices, payments, and escrow disbursements. Because of what Yvonne does, attention to detail is critical, and she does it with ease. She has to "switch gears" frequently to manage her different duties during the day. Yvonne also answers calls from members and team members to assist with accounts and answer questions about the mortgage process. "Answering questions and ensuring our members and team members understand the mortgage process is essential, and it's my goal to make sure they understand the process," said Yvonne.
"Yvonne's more than 30 years of credit union knowledge and experience are priceless. She is an integral part of our team who's dedicated to her job, her department, and credit union," said Bryce, Vice President of Lending and her current supervisor.
Yvonne enjoys her job because it allows her to share her expertise. “Yvonne is such an asset to the mortgage department and a true team player. She is a go-to person when anyone needs help with service questions. She values our members and strives to provide excellent customer service continuously,” said Shannon, one of Yvonne’s team members.
Her team members affectionately call her "All-Knowing" because of the wealth of knowledge she has about our mortgage products and AllSouth. “Whenever I have an issue or questions about mortgage or the Credit Union, Yvonne is usually the first person I go to, and she always gives me the right answer,” said Diane, a team member and friend of 20 years. In addition, many members and team members call on Yvonne directly for assistance because they know she will have the answer. "Yvonne's more than 30 years of credit union knowledge and experience are priceless. She is an integral part of our team who's dedicated to her job, her department, and credit union," said Bryce, Vice President of Lending and her current supervisor.
Yvonne's wealth of knowledge helps build trust with our members and team members. She addresses their needs by providing the best possible solution for the situation at hand. Yvonne has many great stories of how she helped members throughout the years, but there's one story that stands out the most. Yvonne was able to help a member save a significant amount of money on their property taxes. The member wasn't aware they had to apply for legal residence to reduce their taxes, possibly. Unfortunately, when the member applied for residency, it was too late for that year for a tax reduction which caused his mortgage payment to increase. Yvonne encouraged the member to reapply, which he did. Once he reapplied for residency, the county issued a refund check, and his mortgage payments were readjusted. "It's not unusual for members to forget to apply for residency in their counties," said Yvonne. This particular member was so appreciative of the information Yvonne shared that they made a special trip to our mortgage department to thank her in person for helping them save money.
"It may be a challenge to save for future expenses, but by saving a little at a time, you begin to feel more secure about your finances and better prepared to handle any financial crisis that comes your way," said Yvonne.
Yvonne believes it's important to budget and save, especially if you have dreams of homeownership. "I wish I had learned this much earlier in life, but you need a budget," said Yvonne. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, Yvonne shares her strategy for managing finances. She manages two budgets – one for regular monthly bills and one for other expenses such as family birthdays, quarterly or annual expenses. She also has a separate savings account where funds are deposited each pay period. When these expenses come around, the money is already put aside to cover them. "It may be a challenge to save for future expenses, but by saving a little at a time, you begin to feel more secure about your finances and better prepared to handle any financial crisis that comes your way," said Yvonne. AllSouth provides valuable products and learning resources to help members meet financial goals.
Yvonne contributes her success and longevity at AllSouth to having a positive attitude and setting the tone to make a conscious choice to be joyful each day.
When Yvonne is not working at AllSouth, she enjoys genealogy, camping trips, and exploring back roads with her family. When she's not busy learning her family's history or exploring the land, she also enjoys working with her hands-on home improvement projects, crafting, and gardening. Before the pandemic, Yvonne and her husband went on their first cruise to the Western Caribbean. Yvonne hopes to go on another cruise soon.