FOLSOM, Calif. – (July 14, 2020) – When Erica Dias was hired as SAFE Credit Union’s Vice President Marketing, Community Banking, and Communications in April 2019, she brought a game-changing strategy that not only reshaped the
departments she led but also a fundamental shift in how the entire $3.5 billion credit union approaches goal-setting and corporate strategy.
She supports SAFE Credit Union’s growth through an omni-channeled approach including advertising, marketing, in-person outreach, targeted social media, and other opportunities as they arise. She pulled from her years of leading marketing and sales
efforts at some of the larger employers in the Greater Sacramento area to lead these improvements at SAFE. That diversity of experience and nimbleness acquired through a career of various challenges and opportunities fuels Dias’ expertise in
helping SAFE navigate the multi-pronged health, safety, and financial issues the COVID-19 pandemic poses to SAFE members and the community.
For her business and community achievements, Dias was recently named the Executive Woman Award Winner at the 2020 OWL Awards granted by the Sacramento Valley chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
“It’s such an honor to be recognized among my peers,” Dias said about the OWL Award. “I believe it’s essential that women raise each other up and support one another to ensure that our voices are heard and we can bring our
effective, collaborate style of leadership to our businesses and organizations.”
Dias takes her role as a leader seriously in her career and in the community, understanding that it’s important to show up and be present to effect necessary change to bring equity, pay parity, and for all women to have a greater voice in their
communities. She tirelessly works toward those goals by serving as campaign chair of the 2020 Women on Boards Sacramento, as a director on the board of PBS/KVIE, and as Chair of the Santa Clara University Alumni for Others. She helps shape the next
generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders through her work as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer on HR Management, Marketing, Economics, Entrepreneurship as well as being a coach for Social Venture Partners’ Sacramento Fast Pitch.
She directly serves the community through her volunteerism and board positions with the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, and Saint John’s Program for Change.
Dias finds synergy between her personal commitment to improving the well-being of her community with SAFE Credit Union’s mission focused on people helping people. SAFE is dedicated to the financial well-being of its members and the communities it
serves. Dias directly works with the SAFE teams that oversee direct philanthropy to local organizations promoting health, education, and veterans services, as well as providing no-cost financial education to Sacramento-area residents and to staff
at some of the region’s largest employers. The credit union also is providing direct relief to its members during the pandemic with no- to low-cost personal loans, deferred loan payments, waived fees, a convenient appointment setting system,
and expanded financial education programs to help those experiencing financial challenges.
SAFE works with local nonprofits to match credit union leaders with open board positions to help deepen SAFE’s commitment to the community as well as lend its staff’s expertise to nonprofits’ success.
The OWL Awards were established by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Sacramento Valley chapter to acknowledge and celebrate exemplary women leaders within the business community. The event has become a regional tradition,
paying tribute to top women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who have advanced the status of entrepreneurial excellence and community leadership.
The NAWBO Sacramento Valley Chapter is the region’s premier organization and voice for women business owners and is affiliated with a number of the area’s business and community organizations. Its goals are to provide women business owners
with appropriate educational, social, economic and political programs to assist them in making effective changes in their business culture, including, building strategic business alliances and affiliations, influencing opinion makers and strengthening
the wealth building capacity of our members.
About SAFE
SAFE Credit Union has made members an integral part of its vision since 1940. Over the years the credit union has kept the focus on what really matters, putting members first, a formula that has seen SAFE grow into a leading financial institution in Northern
California with more than $3.5 billion in assets and about 236,000 members. SAFE crafts every cutting-edge product and sterling service with members’ needs foremost in mind. In addition to banking services conveniently available through online,
chat, mobile, or phone options, SAFE offers in-person care for members and small businesses at service centers across the Greater Sacramento region and a mortgage lending office serving Contra Costa and Alameda counties. SAFE is a not-for-profit,
state-chartered credit union with membership open to businesses and individuals living or working in Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Sutter, Butte, Nevada, Solano, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Yuba, Amador, and Alameda counties. Insured by NCUA.
www.safecu.org